When people find out that I work from home and set my own schedule, the conversation is often met with an upbeat, "Wow you're so lucky" quickly followed by, "You must have so much self-control. I would end up watching Netflix all day."

From the outside, it might look like people who work from home have more self-discipline or drive than others. But I'll let you in on a little secret.

We're flattered, but what we have isn't more willpower or passion for productivity - it's habits and routines that we cling to religiously because we know we're all one tiny, little, harmless peek at our notifications away from getting absolutely nothing crossed off our to-do lists for the day.

Instead of jumping into the impromptu tasks waiting in your inbox, plan your morning the night before and stick to that plan no matter what. It's easy to prioritize things that others ask of you, but be wary...