What is “friction maxxing”?

In 2026, life has never been smoother. Groceries arrive in minutes, meetings are summarised instantly by ChatGPT, and plans come together with a single tap. We are living in an era where convenience is not a luxury but the default. And yet, despite all this efficiency, many of us feel strangely restless, under-stimulated, and even a little dissatisfied.

This is where “friction maxxing” comes in.

A term gaining cultural traction, friction maxxing is about intentionally choosing the slightly harder option in everyday life. Walking to the store instead of ordering in. Cooking from scratch instead of relying on delivery apps. Sitting with a problem before immediately outsourcing it. It is not about rejecting technology, but reintroducing effort. But why would adding friction to an already busy life make us feel better?

We spoke to Deepti Chandy, therapist and COO at Anna Chandy and Associates, to understand what is actually happening in the brain.

Dopamine is in the chase 

To understand friction maxxing, we first need to rethink dopamine, the brain chemical so often credited, and blamed, for our habits. Pop culture tends to describe dopamine as the reward itself, the pleasurable rush at the end of an experience. But therapist Deepti Chandy explains that this is a misconception. “Dopamine is not the final hit. It’s the anticipation. It’s the chase. The pursuit of something pleasurable is what activates the brain.” 

Effort builds sustained reward

Instant gratification delivers quick but short-lived dopamine spikes, the kind triggered by scrolling, rapid deliveries, and constant notifications. They feel good for the time-being, but repeated spikes can wire the brain toward impulsivity, lowering our tolerance for boredom and making sustained focus feel more difficult. Friction, on the other hand, encourages sustained engagement. 

“Things that are harder to get or harder to do have a longer-lasting dopamine release. It may feel difficult at the moment, but it is healthier in the long run. This is why a workout feels more satisfying when you have prepared for it, a meal tastes richer when you have cooked it yourself, and planning a holiday can sometimes feel as rewarding as taking it.” Chandy explains. 

Rebuilding attention and presence

There is also an attention shift taking place. In environments built for speed, the brain becomes accustomed to constant shifting focus. The prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for impulse control and decision-making, rarely gets the time it needs to fully engage. “This is about intentionality,” Chandy says. “Can I sit for ten minutes instead of reacting instantly? Can I plan instead of impulsively booking? Can I enjoy the process rather than just the outcome?”

Slower, effortful tasks strengthen neural pathways linked to patience and emotional regulation. They increase our tolerance for mild discomfort, whether that is boredom, uncertainty, or waiting. Over time, that discomfort begins to feel manageable rather than urgent.

There is a deeper psychological layer at play. “When everything is outsourced, from food to healing, where is our own participation?” Chandy asks. She observes this even in therapy, where clients sometimes look for quick solutions but avoid the slower, more demanding work of processing emotions. Sitting with discomfort may feel like friction, but active participation sends a powerful message to the brain.

You are not passively consuming solutions; you are engaging in change. “When you move through the entire process, you feel like the engineer of your own life.” That sense of authorship matters. It reinforces motivation circuits and supports long-term behavioural change in a way that instant fixes rarely can.

Working with your brain, not against it 

Friction maxxing is not about glorifying struggle or abandoning convenience altogether. It is about recalibrating a brain that has grown accustomed (and overstimulated) to constant speed. “These choices may feel harder, but they work with the brain to create something more sustainable,” Chandy says.

In a culture obsessed with efficiency, friction can seem unnecessary, even counterproductive. But biologically, our brains were never designed for uninterrupted ease. When everything becomes instantaneous, we may gain speed but lose depth. Perhaps the goal is not to make life harder. It is to leave just enough effort in the process for satisfaction to fully land and not quietly erode. 

Lead image: Pexels 

Also read: Are we suffering from ‘authenticity burnout’?

Also read: Decoding the 4×4 by 4 pm routine that will make you unstoppable