The Cost of Familiar Friction

Ten years ago I chose a keyboard because I liked the sound.

Cherry MX blues.
Clicky. Sharp. Satisfying.
It felt like the right tool for someone who planned to be at a desk for a long time.

Over the years, the same thing happened every day.
By mid-afternoon, my hands were tired.
Not injured. Just… worn down.

I adapted around it.
Changed posture. Took breaks. Accepted it as part of the job.

This week I finally switched to linear switches.
Quiet. Soft. Almost boring.

The difference was immediate.
Not dramatic. Just… absence.
No fatigue. No background strain.

It reminded me how often we normalize friction simply because it's familiar.
In work. In tools. In projects.

Especially when things "mostly work."

By the time you feel real pain, the cost is already sunk.
And fixing it is always harder than asking, early on:
"Is this actually serving me anymore?"

That question comes up more often than we admit.