Eliminate Friction and Build the Habit of Writing

Do you find yourself sitting down to write only to be overwhelmed by the blank page?

Do you start with enthusiasm but quickly get overwhelm by endless decisions, distractions, and self-doubt?

You’re not the only one.

Most aspiring writers struggle not because they lack talent or passion, but because there’s too much friction between their ideas and their execution.

Every time you try to write, small obstacles pile up—distracting notifications, overthinking the perfect sentence, or simply the inertia of a cluttered workspace.

When friction is low, you can dive right in. Instead of wasting precious moments in hesitation, you can create consistently and build momentum.

How eliminating that friction can transform your writing practice—and ultimately, your life:

THE FRICTION FACTOR

We all want to write more, but many of us fall into the trap of overthinking, over-planning, and getting stuck before we even begin.

The harder it is to start, the easier it is to procrastinate.

This isn’t about waiting for inspiration; it’s about creating an environment where writing becomes inevitable.

Imagine if every time you opened your laptop, you could slip into a state of effortless creativity, the so called flow state—a state where your ideas merge and flow without any form of resistance. Where every word you write brings you closer to your goals. That’s what happens when you eliminate friction.

Friction Is Costing You Everything

The Problem: Most people experience writing as a battle with their own minds. Instead of being a fulfilling exercise, writing becomes a mental struggle with tons of obstacles to overcome.

Here are some common issues:

• Overwhelming Decisions: When you face a blank page, the number of choices can paralyze you. What should I write about? What tone should I use? Which idea is worth pursuing?

• Distractions Everywhere: Social media, emails, the notification of your WhatsApp and even a messy workspace create external constant interruptions that break your focus even before you start.

• Perfectionism Over Progress: Waiting for the "perfect moment" or for inspiration to strike and bless you with miraculous and divine power of writing stops you.

Keep in mind that progress comes from consistent effort, wether is good or bad.

• Lack of Structure and Routines: Without a clear routine or system, you spend more time planning or overthinking than actually writing. You stay stagnant, no progress, nothing, none, nada.

One day you might write for an hour but the next day you say "I don't have time today" or "I don't feel like writing" and a routine is to simply sit down and write even for just a few minutes and what happen is that momentum will keep you going and a daily routine will build your skill and confidence.

• Mental Overload: Your mind is filled with ideas, noise, dopamine, consumption fatigue, and you might not have a method to capture and process the ideas, this creates a lot of frictions and thats why I've created this short guidebook for free to process and filter any idea in a more effective way: The Idea Refinery

These problems aren’t just frustrating—they cost you time, energy, and the opportunity to grow as a writer and grow your online presence.

When friction dominates, you remain in a cycle of indecision and inactivity, (#procrastination), while your ideas and potential remain locked away.

The BIG IMPACT FACTORS That Stops Your Progress:

• Missed Opportunities: Every idea you don’t write down or develop is a missed chance to create something valuable.

• Stagnant Growth- Without consistent writing, your skills, voice, and style fail or never evolve.

• Wasted Potential- You end up consuming content for motivation, but never convert that inspiration into real progress and transformation.

• Emotional Drain- The constant battle with the blank page can leave you feeling frustrated and defeated causing you to quit and keeps where you are, an unfulfilling life, and if you are here we both know that's not what you truly want for you and for you love ones.

The Solution—The Power of Eliminating Friction

Again, imagine if writing felt as natural as breathing—a seamless flow from thought to words without internal or external resistance. The flow state mentioned before.

This transformation is possible when you design a system that minimizes friction.

Here’s how you can do it:

1. Create a Consistent Routine

• Set a Specific Time- Block out a dedicated 60-30-15-minute session every morning for writing. This routine becomes a non-negotiable appointment with the future you.

• Design Your Environment- Use a specific clutter-free workspace, a comfortable chair, a bean bag, warm lighting or even a background playlist that signals to your brain it’s time to write. Just make yourself feel comfortable by dedicating a specific area to write.

• Prepare in Advance- Lay out your writing tools—whether it’s a notebook, a template, or your favorite writing app(now I use Kortex as my writing software, and man is a whole new game)—back to the point, lay everything out so that nothing stands between you and the page. Have a list of ideas or a simple template ready to start rolling.

2. Simplify the Process

• You Can Start Small- Begin with a 5-minute free-write session. Don’t worry about perfection—just start. A rough draft is better than no draft. The goal is simply to start.

• Use Templates Or Prompts- Have a simple outline or prompt ready. This reduces the decision-making load and lets you focus on writing. This might be as simple as “Today, I want to write about…” or a template with key questions to answer. cough cough..again…The Idea Refinery

• Minimize Distractions- Turn off notifications, silence your phone, and close unrelated tabs on your computer. Create an environment that supports deep work, not distractions.

3. Separate Ideation from Execution

• Idea Phase (Creativity)- Allow yourself a brainstorming phase without judgment. Jot down ideas as they come, then step away and let your subconscious process them.

• Capture Spontaneous Ideas or "AHA" moments-  If an idea strikes while you’re doing something else (e.g., walking or listening to music), jot it down immediately. Always have a notebook or app ready to jot down thoughts that strike throughout your day.

• Execution Phase (Productivity)- Later, during your focused writing session, review your notes, select one idea, and commit to writing and expand the idea without overthinking.

• Set an Actionable Goal- For every writing session, decide on one tangible outcome—be it a paragraph, an outline, a 500 words mini-essay, an atomic note or a complete section of a project (a book chapter for example).

4. Embrace Imperfection

• Write First, Edit Later- Don’t worry about grammar or style in your first draft. Let your creative thoughts flow. Don’t let the need for perfection stop you from writing. Separate the tasks. Schedule the editing part for a separate session or day.

• Accept Rough Draft- Remember, a draft is just the beginning. It’s better to have a rough idea on paper than none at all. Even your favorite book started as a rough draft, the process of revising and refining is what ultimately creates the final masterpiece.

5. Build Accountability

• Track Your Progress- Use a simple log to record your daily writing sessions. Note the time spent, the word count, and any idea or output achieved. But don't stress to much with this.

• Share Your Work- It's okay to share it with friends or relatives but I rather recommend doing it in public, sharing your work adds accountability, build your confidence, invites to feedback (not all of them will be constructive) but that's good, we can still learn from it.

• Reward Yourself- Set small rewards for meeting your writing goals. Over time, these rewards build positive reinforcement for the habit.

Follow the steps. This is not just a habit, this is a whole ecosystem designed to set you up for success. This apply to any habit you want to build, simply follow the same steps with some tweaks adapted around any other habit or skill.

In summary: Your 3-Step Action Plan to Eliminate Friction Once And For All

Step 1: Block Out Time

• Schedule any set amount of time you can stick to. I recommend 60, 30 or 15-minute writing session every morning.

• Prepare your workspace the night before.

• Write down a few ideas you want to expand on

Step 2: Start Small & Remove Barriers

• Write without worrying about quality.

• Focus on getting words on the page.

• Use a prompt or template to get started quickly.

Step 3: Review, Apply, and Iterate

• At the end of the week, review your notes and writing.

• Choose one idea to develop further and share it.

• Identify one key takeaway and apply it.

• Refine your process based on what works.

Follow this and watch how your creativity and productivity compounds over time. You will improve and grow a lot as a writer.

Writing isn’t about waiting for the perfect moment; it’s about making it happen. Removing friction is what makes it easier.

Every minute you spend wrestling with resistance is a minute lost.

The less resistance you face when starting, the more likely you are to write consistently. With a structured routine, a simplified process, and a focus on action over perfection, you’ll build a habit that fuels both creativity and real progress.

Remember, every great writer started by simply showing up—no fancy tools, no perfect drafts, just the commitment to write.

• Routine creates momentum.

• Low friction equals effortless writing.

• Small, consistent actions compound into massive growth.

Eliminate the friction, build the habit.

See you next week,

J Aviles

P.S. Feel free to hit reply with any questions, comments, ideas, or feedback. Tell me what is your key takeaway and what are some problems you face when writing and creating content.