Intentional Friction

I implement “intentional friction” into my life in order to not get swept up by convenience and optimization.

I do this as a way to practice one of my core values, freedom (I’ll talk more about my core values and their purpose in future posts). This may seem counterintuitive, so I’ll provide some examples and explanations below.

Online Shopping

I avoid as much as possible saving my passwords or credit card information online. Companies know that any disconnect in the shopping process can be an opportunity where a customer steps away. So companies do their utmost to design their checkout processes to be as frictionless as possible.

The friction of having to gather my passwords and credit cards in the face of making a purchase forces a slow down in which I more often than not realize I don’t need to be making this purchase.

Desserts

I love desserts. I allow myself a few desserts in the house at a time. Too many and I can go overboard with my dessert consumption. I’ve tried banning desserts from my house, but in moments of extreme craving, the drive will be enough for me to seek them out regardless of how much friction there is. So having a few options keeps my cravings from overwhelming me. But the friction required to acquire more desserts (i.e. leaving the house) is helpful in curbing my dessert intake.

Social Media

A few years ago, I recognized that social media channels like Facebook and Instagram were taking a toll on my wellbeing. Constantly seeing the highlight reels of others amplified the voices of judgement and comparison within myself. Since then, I’ve removed most social media from my life by deleting my accounts and/or removing the apps from my phone. The friction of not having an account at all or not being able to easily login to an app has decreased my social media consumption and increased my wellbeing.

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Takeaways

My core value of freedom covers many forms of freedom.
Freedom of choice.
Freedom of expression.
Freedom from suffering.
Intentional friction helps create the conditions for many of my freedoms.
Financial freedom through avoiding overconsumption.
Physical freedom through maintaining health.
Inner freedom through release from social comparison.

Friction is a feature I selectively use to be integrous as the person I am and am becoming.

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Questions for you

What is an area of your life where you feel less freedom than you would ideally like?

How might you introduce some intentional friction to create the conditions for more freedom in this area?

What structures and supports would you need to implement and maintain these intentional frictions?