Chinese remainder theorem int tandem with Eulers theorem will reduce is as far as possible. As to whether the calculations are easy or not is another issue.
So $31^6 \mod 189$. $189 = 7*3^3$ so by chinese remainder theorem we can solve this by solving $31^6 \mod 7$ and $31^6 \mod 27$.
So $7$ is prime and $31$ is not a multiple of $7$ we know $31^{7-1}\equiv 1 \mod 7$ so ... that's that. And $\phi(27) = 3^2*2 = 18$ so $31^6 \equiv .... \mod 37$. Well, it's a cube root of one but ... $31^6 \equiv 4^6 \equiv (3+1)^6 \equiv {6 \choose 2}3^2 + 6*3 + 1 \equiv \frac {6*5}2*3^2 + 18 + 1\equiv 19\mod 27$ ... or $4^6 \equiv 64^2 \equiv 10^2 \equiv 100 \equiv 19 \mod 27$.
So $31^6 \equiv 1 + 7k \equiv 19 + 27j \mod 189$. By CRT there is one solution.
So solve $1 + 7k = 19 + 27j$
$27 = 4*7 - 1$
$1 = 4*7 - 27$.
$1 + 7k = 19 + 27j$
$7k - 27j = 18 = 21 - 3 = 3*7 - 3(4*7 - 27) = -9*7 +3*27$.
So if $k = -9$ and $j = -3$ we get $1-7*9 = -62$ and $19 - 3*27 =-62$
And so $31^6 \equiv -62 \equiv 127 \mod 189$