Hi, I’m Erin, a typical work from home mom. Mama by day and business owner and blogger squeezed in everywhere there’s time. If you see me out and about during the week I usually look like a hot mess. Top knot, coffee in one hand, toddler in the other, iPhone dinging and a very hurried look on my face. Although it looks like I’m probably going crazy or extremely in over my head, it’s actually an organized chaos. And we thrive on it. 
Having a schedule is crucial for us, but summer has made life a little more difficult for working from home. Erin Condren keeps me ahead on a day-to-day, hour-to-hour basis. Here are my tips so you don’t go insane or get burnt out on working from home.
1: Create a schedule. WRITE IT DOWN. Lay it all out there: school times, meals, nap, errands, and work. I take every Sunday to map my week out in the LifePlanner. It’s a tremendous help. 
2: Write down the month’s extra appointments and activities. This will help you when people ask things of you, girls nights out, date nights, etc. This all goes in my Deluxe Monthly Planner. 
3: To-do lists. My husband truly gets credit for this one. Daily to-do lists are crucial in anyone’s life. I don’t clutter my planner days with little tasks, but I do us the notes in the Luxe Planner for it. (Order the extra note pages, trust me!)
4: Create a designated area for work. Mine was upstairs in our playroom/my closet and I’d get distracted with clothes…. So I switched to kitchen. I love my kitchen table. So much natural light and readily available snacks!
5: Have fun with your planners and lists. The menial tasks seem a little more fun when you use stickers and fun colored pens/markers. I have my schedule organized by colors, silly to some but fun for me!
6: Turn it off every day. For yourself and the kids. Set a time to take 15-30 minutes and put the phone and computer down and just play. Maybe in the morning for you, afternoon for the kids and at night with your spouse. Dance parties are our favorite down-time fun! 
7: Pat yourself on the back and reward yourself occasionally. Whether it be a vacation or just a trip to get a quick pedicure, take that time to relax and refresh. You do some serious work in a day. You deserve it. If you thrive in organized chaos like me or are a super, organized person already, these tips will help you get though the craziest summer days or the back-to-school grind. Now go buy yourself dome EC stickers and bright markers, because they always make me happy! 
My Erin Condren Must Haves: Deluxe Monthly Planner, LifePlanner, Sticker Set, LifePlanner Starter Set, Dual Tip Markers, Journal (for all the lists!) and Gratitude Journal Erin Ruoff – @hi_lovely
Photography Credit: Keilany K Photography
www.keilanyk.com/
