Reducing Friction

I’ve been (once again) trying to journal more. I’m a fan of the Bullet Journal method as it uses simple signifiers to display what kind of a note you’re writing. More on that in a second. What I’ve tried doing this week is adding in a few things outside of the simple tasks, notes, and events BuJo is known for, because the system is meant to be made into your own. In my case, I’m now logging a couple of loud thoughts in my head (think those brain dumps I do periodically, but daily instead of when I go into full crisis mode), one small win from the previous day, something I’m looking forward to today, an album I want to listen to (of which I might be showing an ADHD sign as I’ve now listed the same album five days in a row), and a seed which would be an idea or phrase worth keeping. After this, I just write out the things I need to do like normal.

The problem I was having was I was writing out some of these new sections. So, full out writing “looking forward to…”, for example. What I found is it took away from my thought. The advantage of the symbols is they don’t get in the way; they’re a quick mark that becomes something you do subconsciously over time.

So, I redid my markers like this:

Daily Log [date] [weather] [sleep: good / rough / ok] ~ [emotional weather] What’s loud ! [thought] ! [thought] Yesterday W [one small win] Today > [one thing to look forward to] Listen ( ) [album] Seeds * [idea or phrase worth keeping]

Tasks • [todo] • [todo]

Using the symbols reduces the friction of jotting these things down. That got me thinking about other things this applies to. Simply put, reduce friction to the things you want to do more of and add friction to the things you want less of. I want to actually work out, so I bought weights and stashed them in my living room, over having to get dressed and walk to the gym. I removed the extra steps.

If you want to use social media less, take the apps off your Home Screen. If that doesn’t work, delete them from your phone. Want to use your phone less? Leave it in a different room or put it in a drawer. If that doesn’t work, throw it in the ocean. If you want to cook more, optimize your kitchen so that everything is in quick and easy reach without clutter.

This is a principle that I think works with habits you want to build or destroy, but also people. Access shapes behavior. Maybe it’s adding friction by building boundaries and standing by them. Reducing it would be knowing that a quick text could result in a get-together. Build walls for what you don’t want and bridges for what you do.

Anyway, this is my little thought for the day.