Children
These days, children are growing up in an environment where convenience and instant gratification are the standard.
This is not helpful for their attention span or social and emotional development.
In today’s digital world, our attention span is under constant attack, from smartphones, AI tools, videos on autoplay, and instant notifications, which have made it easier than ever to skim over everything rather than ever to focus or be present in the moment. As a result, most young adults and children struggle with short attention spans, reduced critical thinking, and difficulty staying fully present.
What is friction-maxing?
According to Dr Leandri Hattingh, National Manager at Mediclinic Mental Health, a relatively new practice called friction-maxing may offer one practical way to begin addressing the problem. By being intentional about embracing small challenges and slowing down, we can rebuild our attention span, strengthen our focus, and train our brains to engage fully with the world that we live in.
The 24/7 news cycle, social media scrolling, and constant digital stimulation have made it harder to engage deeply with any task we have to do. For adults and children, this can lead to frustration, difficulty concentrating, and the feeling that finishing even the smallest task or a book is impossible. Friction maxing isn’t necessarily about rejecting technology. Instead, it’s about using it intentionally while reintroducing small tasks that demand your full effort, reflection, and attention. This philosophy recognises that human growth and attention require experience, learning through struggle, trial, and error, which ultimately strengthens one's concentration skills and ability to be mentally resilient.
The three pillars of friction maxing
- Intentionality: Choose tasks that require focus and deep critical thinking.
- Presence: Friction requires your brain to fully focus on the task in front of you.
- Resilience: Small challenges build mental endurance. When technology fails or distractions appear, your ability to focus and problem-solve remains intact.
Practical friction maxing steps to try in your everyday life:
- Handwrite notes or reflections daily
- Read full articles or reports instead of summaries
- Draft your emails, letters, or documents manually
- Take on small challenges at home, such as cooking or DIY projects, without digital guidance
Friction maxing for kids
- Let children work through homework and challenges on their own without your help and without ChatGPT.
- Encourage handwritten assignments, journaling, or note-taking
- Allow boredom and self-directed play without screens
- Encourage tasks like cooking, crafting, or other creative projects without step-by-step digital instruction from iPads or computers and laptops.
These small, intentional “frictions” help children build attention skills that will serve them academically and socially in the long run.