Practical Productivity, Week 3: Reduce the Friction
One of the ideas that keeps surfacing in Practical Productivity: A Guide to Surviving Life’s Juggling Act is this simple reminder from Monisha Longacre: “when things feel hard, the answer is often not more effort—it’s less friction.”
This week’s question is deceptively simple:
What’s making this harder than it needs to be?
Not what you should add. Not what you’re failing to do. Just what’s in the way. Then, remove one small obstacle.
Fewer choices. Fewer tools. Fewer expectations.
Everything else is optional.
Why Reducing Friction Works
When life or business feels messy, our instinct is often to push harder—to try one more system, add another goal, or power through with sheer will. But messy seasons usually don’t need more effort. They need simplification.
Friction drains energy quietly. It shows up as:
Too many platforms or tools
Overcomplicated workflows
Unclear priorities
Expectations that no longer fit the season you’re in
When you reduce friction, you free up energy. And energy—not hustle—is what actually moves things forward.
This Idea Shows Up Everywhere
You’ll hear versions of this idea echoed by people who study behavior and habits for a living.
James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, often talks about making good habits easier and bad habits harder. His core insight is that behavior follows the path of least resistance. If something feels heavy, complicated, or hard to access, we’re far less likely to do it—no matter how motivated we are.
The same is true in our businesses and creative lives. When systems feel heavy, we stall. When systems feel simple, we move.
What Reducing Friction Can Look Like
This doesn’t require a full overhaul. Start small.
Use fewer tools instead of the “perfect” tool
Narrow your to-do list to what actually matters this week
Let go of one expectation that’s adding pressure but not value
Simplify how you start your workday or creative time
Ask yourself: What’s the smallest thing I could remove that would make this feel lighter?
A Gentle Reminder for This Week
Simpler systems create more energy.
More energy creates momentum.
You don’t need to do everything. You don’t need to do it perfectly. You just need to make it a little easier to begin.
This week, choose ease over effort. See what shifts.
Reflection for the Week: Reduce the Friction
Take a few quiet minutes and reflect:
What currently feels harder than it needs to be in my work or life?
Where am I carrying extra tools, expectations, or decisions that aren’t serving me right now?
What is one small thing I could remove, simplify, or pause this week?
How might my energy shift if I made this easier?
You don’t need to fix everything. Start with one small adjustment.
Less friction creates space—and space creates momentum.
