Friction is anything that slows our business and prevents us from reaching our optimal performance.

All of these are ways friction slows down our business. As CEO, we also lose money in our business when we have friction in our daily tasks.

The opposite of friction is flow, and flow is the optimal state for our businesses.

According to the Oxford Dictionary, flow means to "move along or out steadily and continuously in a current or stream." In business, this means operating in a way that feels natural, efficient, and fulfilling.

Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi describes flow as a state of deep focus and enjoyment. But it’s not about lounging on a beach all day—it’s about engaging in meaningful work that challenges and excites us.

Certain habits and work patterns create friction, making it harder to reach a state of flow. Here are common culprits and how to fix them:

Every time a notification pops up, your focus is broken.

Fix: Turn off notifications and set a 90-minute block of distraction-free work time.

Switching between tasks reduces efficiency and creativity.

​Fix: Focus on one task at a time for better results and less mental fatigue.

Working long hours without breaks leads to burnout and reduced clarity.

Fix: Schedule breaks and downtime to allow your brain to recharge.

Without goals, you waste time on unimportant tasks.

​Fix: Set clear business goals and track progress for motivation.

If you rely on memory, you waste mental energy trying to remember everything.

​Fix: Use a task management system like Notion, ClickUp, or a simple Google Calendar.

Doing things differently each time wastes time and energy.

Fix: Create simple routines and templates to streamline repeat tasks.

Writing too many tasks leads to frustration and overwhelm.

​Fix: Be realistic about what you can accomplish in a day.

You don’t need a massive overhaul to improve flow. Small micro-adjustments can make a big difference over time.

British Cycling went from decades of mediocrity to Olympic gold by improving everything by just 1%—from bike seats to sleep routines. Small tweaks, when added together, create massive results.

If a task takes less than two minutes, do it immediately instead of letting it pile up.

Planning your day in advance prevents decision fatigue.

​Bonus: Work expands to fit the time you give it (Parkinson’s Law). Set time limits to work more efficiently.

Flow is the optimal state of working and living. By reducing friction and making small adjustments, you can build a business that feels rewarding, productive, and enjoyable.

As we find flow in our personal habits, we can find flow in our business as well.

​Start small—pick one friction point and work on it this week. Over time, these changes will compound, creating a smoother, more fulfilling business and life.