TL;DR: Small friction points in daily tasks—like putting away a grilling spatula—create invisible barriers that cause procrastination and task pile-up. The same principle applies to business processes. By identifying where tasks accumulate and addressing the underlying friction (through automation, delegation, or elimination), you can improve productivity and reduce mental clutter.
I was washing dishes the other day when I noticed our grilling spatula for the fifteenth time. I was vaguely annoyed that it was still on the counter…but not in a super conscious way. Just an under the surface ‘meh’ feeling that can usually get drowned out by other projects.
This time, it was just annoying enough. I grabbed our cabinet magnet to open the baby lock on our bottom cabinet, pulled out our grilling case, opened the latches, and slotted the grilling spatula into its place. Then I put everything away. The whole process took all of 30 seconds.
Why did I wait until the 15th time?
This is what friction does.
It doesn’t take much friction to slow a process down jusssst enough to stop the forward movement of things.
For me, having to put the spatula into the grilling case was annoying. At the end of the day, leaving it on the counter for a week was even more annoying, but I didn’t think about it all consciously and rationally. I just didn’t put it away.
How Does Friction Affect Business Productivity?
Intangible business processes operate exactly the same way. Tasks pile up at friction points, and we don’t always consciously notice where it’s happening or why.
It could be a bill that needs to be paid, or a call back to a company with specific office hours we keep missing, or a website page we can’t decide how to fix. Just like my brain would see the spatula, be annoyed, and then dodge over to something more straightforward like cleaning off the table, your brain might be putting off tasks at the threshold of small friction points. You might not consciously decide ‘I’m not going to do this’ – more likely, your brain sees the difficulty and makes the decision below your conscious awareness.
What Are the Signs of Friction Points in Your Workflow?
It can be easier to see your friction points when you look for the more visible task piles – bottlenecks, delays, projects that are piling up on each other. Once you know what the friction looks like, it gets a lot easier to decide what to do next. Maybe there’s another way to accomplish the same outcome, or a way to delegate the task, or maybe that one annoying step is one you can cut altogether.
How Can You Remove Friction from Daily Tasks?
If you notice the bills piling up on your desk, maybe automatic bill pay is an option. If you get annoyed every time you see a voicemail from someone you need to call back, maybe you add a time to call them on your calendar. If you keep moving the website project from one sticky note to another, maybe you can brainstorm with a friend to get more clarity.
For me, I’m giving up on the grilling case. We’ll live quite well without it.
I’d love to hear what you find for yourself too!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is task friction and why does it matter?
A: Task friction refers to small barriers or inconveniences that make completing a task slightly more difficult than it needs to be. These minor obstacles cause your brain to unconsciously avoid the task, leading to procrastination and task pile-up. Understanding friction matters because it helps explain why some tasks never get done despite being quick and simple.
Q: How can I identify friction points in my business processes?
A: Look for visible signs like recurring bottlenecks, tasks that consistently get delayed, bills or paperwork that pile up in the same spot, or projects you keep moving from one to-do list to another. These accumulation points indicate underlying friction that’s preventing task completion.
Q: What are practical ways to reduce friction in my workflow?
A: Consider three main strategies: automate (set up automatic bill pay or recurring reminders), delegate (assign the task to someone else or use a service), or eliminate (remove unnecessary steps or abandon processes that don’t add real value). The key is matching the solution to the specific friction point.
Q: Why do I avoid tasks even when they only take 30 seconds?
A: Your brain makes unconscious calculations about task difficulty. Even small amounts of friction—like needing to unlock a cabinet, open a case, or navigate phone menu systems—can tip the scales toward avoidance. This decision often happens below conscious awareness, which is why you might not realize you’re actively choosing to delay the task.
Q: Is it better to push through friction or eliminate it entirely?
A: Elimination is usually more effective than relying on willpower. While you can force yourself to complete friction-heavy tasks, this approach drains mental energy and isn’t sustainable long-term. When possible, redesign the process to remove the friction rather than trying to power through it repeatedly.
