This post is paid for by Dove, a brand I believe in and love working with. All opinions and experiences are my own.

I've worked from home for the past couple of years, but the past 6 months… it’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced. Today I'm sharing the essential things that I’ve been doing to help me stay motivated, happy and productive.

With less access to childcare, alone time, and the usual social outlets, I have found myself focusing on these things not only to ensure I complete my tasks, but equally important - to feel mentally refreshed and capable of handling it all.

• DIVIDE AND CONQUER:With 2 very sweet, but wild children at home… it is essential that my husband and I split/“take shifts” to make sure we can conquer it all. For example, he showers first thing in the morning while I get the girls fed. Then I start my day & begin work while he entertains them for a couple hours.

• SELF CARE:Sometimes this part is tricky for me, especially if I have random deadlines to meet - but generally speaking, I try and start my day with a shower and a change of clothes.

• SHOWER:Things I am loving for this sacred time:

  1. Bumble & Bumble Invisible Oil Shampoo & Conditioner - this has been my go-to for years, and it makes my unruly hair so smooth and less tangled

  2. Navy Hair Care Hair Mask - my hair gets so thick and tangled, I do this mask at least once a week

  3. Dove Renewing Body Wash Moisture Renew Blend - I’ve been searching for a new body wash that I like, and since I’ve always been a fan of Dove… I decided I’d try this one. I have really dry skin, and so far I am loving how it leaves my skin smooth and moisturized. The peony and rose oil not only help moisturize my skin, but they smell incredible as well. If you have dry skin or you just want supple, dewy skin, try this product out. 

Bonus: their body wash bottles are made from 100% recycled plastic! Each body wash is free from sulfate, parabens, and they are cruelty free. These things are all important to me as I continue to try to make more intentional decisions about what I use on my skin.

4. Tula Exfoliating Sugar Scrub - this is my favorite item to use on my face in the shower - it exfoliates and leaves my skin so soft.

• MORNING ROUTINE:After I’m ready for the day (sometimes, I put sweats on, but it’s the act of getting myself ready that counts) - I dive straight into work. I usually have to take a 2 hour break in the middle of the day to be with the kids so the mornings are my time to crush most of my list.

• SCHEDULE EVERYONE:Since we basically have no control over anything right now, I’ve found that scheduling everyone… even your partner, can help a lot with anxiety, depression, and feeling overwhelmed.  So we have a structured schedule for the girls, and some days we don’t follow it… but in those moments of anxiousness it’s there to follow and help guide us through the day.

• SCHEDULE BREAKS:This is A MUST DO. If I don’t do this, I won’t ever take a break. Which means I won’t get my coffee. I won’t eat lunch. And I won’t eat dinner on time. For me, it helps me clear my brain for a minute before diving back into work.

• ADDING MUSIC TO EVERYTHING:Yep. Going outside to jump on the trampoline? Music! Doing homework in the dining room? Music (we like classical for this)! Doing the dishes? Music! Folding laundry? Music! Literally. Music all day, every day… It helps the kids and myself tremendously. Also, we have the amazon dot and the google home that we use for music throughout the house.

• MANDATORY MEETING 5PM ON THE BACK PORCH:This doesn’t happen every day, but it’s always a goal. My husband works from home currently, and he is able to break for a small amount of time to check in with us at 5. This is the time I feed the girls dinner and let them play before bathtime.

• DANCE PARTIES:Even if you don’t have kids…. dance parties are a must. But if you are a parent… kids behaving like maniacs? DANCE PARTY! Kids fighting over something ridiculous? DANCE PARTY! 9 times out of 10 they won’t be able to not join in. ;)

• GAMES.Make a game out of anything you can think of. Kids won’t go to the bath? Make it a race!

• PUT YOUR BARE FEET IN THE GROUND:Y’all may think I am super weird for this one, but I swear by it. Getting your bare feet onto the grass or dirt is incredibly grounding and especially in those moments of anxiety and being overwhelmed… it helps to pull you out of it.

• EVENING:Once I get the girls to bed, I try and do a quick clean sweep of the house. After that I usually come back to my computer to wrap things up for the day and go over my to-do list for the next day.Ideally, I would love to be spending an hour or so off of social media in the evenings before bed and read a book instead. Unfortunately I haven’t quite figured out how to do that yet, because running a business, and a household… it’s hard.

These are the things I’ve started doing that have really helped me cope with this uneasy and super difficult time. Finding joy in the small things like having a dance party every day, for example, is what is going to help make this time happier than it may feel right now.

What about you? Can you relate to any of this? Looking forward to hearing what you’ve been doing to cope during this time! xoxo Ashley