Friction-maxxing emerged as a term in an article in The Cut, where writer Kathryn Jezer-Morton explored the idea of avoiding things that make your life more convenient.
The article argues that by adding friction and rejecting tech-enabled convenience, we get the satisfaction of achievement for our efforts, a feeling that in turn makes us happier.
Since the piece was published in January, the phrase has gained traction, with publications like the FT, The Guardian, BBC and Elle each exploring the subject for their readers. Friction has also been a hot topic in Substacks and on LinkedIn.
