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Friction-maxxing: does more effort = more value?

October 30, 2026 · 30 min

Show notes

Mental map or GPS? Delivery or cooking at home? Scrolling or reading?

In a world of convenience, there are plenty of tools that make our lives easier. But is there a benefit to doing things the hard way?

Enter: friction-maxxing, the act of deliberately choosing slower, analogue options, in order to give daily routines more meaning, purpose and value.

So how does doing things the hard way help us? And isn't life difficult enough — who needs MORE friction?

Guests:

Kathryn Jezer-MortonWriter and essayist

Michael InzlichtProfessor of Psychology, University of Toronto

Credits:

  • Presenter/producer: Sana Qadar
  • Senior producer: James Bullen
  • Producer: Rose Kerr
  • Sound engineer: Roi Huberman

To explore more great episodes from the award-winning psychology podcast All in the Mind with host Sana Qadar, download the ABC Listen app (Australia) or search 'ABC All in the Mind podcast' wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find more episodes on mental health, trauma, attachment theory, wellness hacks, and family relationships. You'll also hear interviews with experts like Esther Perel, Billy Garvey and Ethan Kross. All in the Mind is created for ABC's Radio National by specialist journalists and reporters at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

All episodes of All In The Mind

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