Using concepts like the <a href="https://doist.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-personal-productivity-methods/#eisenhower-matrix">Eisenhower Matrix </a>or <a href="https://doist.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-personal-productivity-methods/#eat-the-frog">Eat That Frog </a>can put your to-do list in perspective and help you identify what should take precedence. For more ideas on productivity techniques to try out, browse our <a href="https://doist.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-personal-productivity-methods/">Ultimate Guide to Personal Productivity Methods </a>. If you're still having a hard time identifying priorities, try working backward by identifying work that's definitely not a priority. Eliminate those items and assess what's left. You'll have fewer things to consider and a more comfortable time deciding what's necessary. As Donald Miller, author and CEO of StoryBrand, outlines in his <a href="http://www.storylineblog.com/storyline-productivity-schedule.pdf">storyline productivity technique </a>, managing your time goes hand in hand with managing your mental energy. The more time you fight with your mind on which task you should be doing, the more mental bandwidth you're using up that won't be available later when the real work begins. Make quick and intentional decisions to focus on what will serve you most and just do it.

Luckily, the same technology that provides endless distractions can also be used to minimize interruptions when you're looking for a break. Apps like <a href="https://www.forestapp.cc/en/">Forest </a>and <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/zero-willpower-block-distracting-websites/id1045944416?mt=8">Zero Willpower </a>exist for this very reason. They block specific sites and apps from your phone or computer for a certain amount of time to help you focus and minimize the madness. Forest takes the motivation a step further by gamifying the process and letting you plant a virtual forest with your productivity. It will even let you use tokens you earn within the app to donate real money to deforestation causes. Now you're productive and saving the rainforest. Win-win.

Cal Newport, author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Deep-Work-Focused-Success-Distracted/dp/1455586692">Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World </a>, puts a huge emphasis on the mental consequences of dealing with constant interruption. He explains that by allowing ourselves to be distracted, we're actually <a href="https://www.npr.org/2017/07/25/539092670/you-2-0-the-value-of-deep-work-in-an-age-of-distraction">weakening our brains' ability to focus on "deep work" in the long term </a>. It takes unlearning our habits of constantly checking notifications and requiring validation from our devices to retrain your brain to take full advantage of deep work.

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."

5 Habits for Crafting the Perfect Remote Work Day

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