To Break Addiction, Add Friction
The power of delaying
Introduction
I have a friend who adds five extra minutes to his commute to avoid the pub where he used to pass out three nights a week. When people ask him why he does this, he replies, “I don't even want to think about it. To me, relapsing is less likely when you make it harder for addiction to resurface.” James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, agrees with my friend. In the book, he states, “The greater the friction, the less likely the habit.”1
Research backs James up. A longitudinal study to prevent smartphone overuse found a few interesting insights. By installing an app that introduces a delayed app opening,2 researchers observed three outcomes in the participants. They were more intentional in their usage time, reduced their mindless social media checks, and regained control of their smartphone use after these delays.3
In my last post, I encouraged you to create an offline room filled with books, magazines, puzzles, and other offline trinkets. Creating environments for slowness and boredom is crucial to distance ourselves from overstimulation. Today, I want to help you find a level of friction that makes sense in your current situation.
Weekend Friction
As some of you know, I have two phones. A personal and a work line. I’ve found this setup provides a great degree of separation that reminds me to engage with work meaningfully and leave it behind when the clock strikes five. During the weekend or outside of office hours, my work phone is turned off. I’ve learned to refuse the expectation of constant access that American capitalism seems to be too comfortable with.4 This change wasn’t easy, but it started with experiments at the end of my week.
I began by switching to a dumbphone during Saturday and Sunday back in 2020. It slowed down the information throughput at a time when I was in front of a screen doing Zoom calls each day of the work week. The quirky Light Phone 2 created space for my brain to relax and trust boredom once again. It gave me the option to disconnect. Room to breathe.
Over time, I’ve come to believe that everyone can choose to do this. Regardless of how hectic your schedule is, you can start asserting your digital freedom by requesting a few hours to get lost in your thoughts. A fifteen minute break would be a good step. Manoush Zomorodi, author of Bored and Brilliant, shares that mind wandering “helps our brains create those new connections that can solve anything from planning dinner to a breakthrough in combating global warming. "To think original thoughts," she adds, "we must put a stop to constant stimulation.”
Thus, the first level of friction that you can add to your weekly routine is to create pockets of boredom. I suggest the weekend to be the optimal candidate for this time period. If that doesn’t work, you can choose the evenings or early mornings to experience the positive effects of digital de-stimulation.
Wired Friction
The second area to axe the lure of screens from your life is to unplug your electronics. A simple pattern to follow is to disconnect the TV or computer after use. If you want to go "hardcore", unplug your WiFi router each night. This habit will make sure that you are not engaging with electronics simply because they are available. Rather, you will have an intention to plug them in, use them, and turn them off when the work is complete.
It seems silly to do these workarounds for some people. Yet, as Socrates reminds us, our aim is to know ourselves. My friend didn’t stumble into his dark blue chip, the AA sign for 6 months of sobriety. He understood that sacrifice was part of the journey. The extra five minutes were an inconvenience, but they were crucial. If he had not altered his route, he would have a daily reminder of the bar experience. Temptation to go in and check in with his old buddies. After a few days, maybe a drink or two. Digital dependency is no less insidious.
Tech companies bombard us with the idea that their platforms are necessary for existence.5 You can't live without tap-to-pay. What would you do without WhatsApp or Slack? How are you going to order at the restaurant sans QR code?6 It is true that our world is morphing into a higher degree of tech surveillance capitalism. They invade our privacy7, create dependency8, and lock heated car seats to a subscription9. That's where unplugging becomes the next act of digital freedom. Turn off your screen and they can't exploit your attention. Disconnect the WiFi and Alexa stops listening to your conversations.10 While the world bows to the magic of AI, you choose human curations, books, and board games in your offline room.
Sustainable Friction
Whatever approach you take, remind yourself to embrace it slowly. Friction can turn into frustration. Each week, I read about people who want a simpler life. However, they want it fast. They desire the six pack, but don't commit to the gym routine. They want the quick fix. I understand them. In 2019, when I started my digital minimalism journey, I was desperate for change. I wanted to stop looking at my screen and regain sanity. I thought that it was a device problem. That a dumbphone would be the solution, but it wasn't. It was a lifestyle mismatch.
As you introduce friction into your habits, put on your scientific method hat. Take some time to reflect on whether the changes have a net positive or negative effect. Journal and take notes, ask colleagues and friends if they have noticed a change. Create a feedback loop that allows you to evaluate whether the change is worth it.
Over time, you may come to similar conclusions as I have. That technology is helpful in small doses. That social media and smartphones are more costly than useful. That life is best lived with people and not machines. Our values don’t have to align perfectly, but I hope for a world where we can sit in front of each other and not look at our phones.
Here is a free article that contains the excerpt from his book where he talks about building and breaking habits: https://jamesclear.com/reset-the-room
Two of these apps are One Sec and ClearSpace.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377774169_A_Longitudinal_In-the-Wild_Investigation_of_Design_Frictions_to_Prevent_Smartphone_Overuse
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38479439
https://www.vox.com/2018/8/8/17664580/persuasive-technology-psychology
I thought this was interesting. “We also found that people who own more electronic devices used QR codes more.” https://www.researchgate.net/publication/275061731_Factors_affecting_consumer_usage_of_QR_codes
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451958821000567
Check these out: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/amazons-alexa-never-stops-listening-to-you/ and
Hi Jose, I found your article whilst researching an piece for my blog (which is in response to a CNN story about big tech and smart glasses).
I agree that adding friction is a useful idea. I think the topic of ethics related to persuasive design needs more awareness (etc), your post helped me look into that more than I have before.
I found your article really insightful, it gave me a few ideas and references that helped me with my own research - especially the Richard Freed interview with Vox.
My article is here if you're interested: https://morphological.wordpress.com/2025/05/13/a-heady-cocktail-persuasion-and-smart-glasses/
The Light Phone has worked very well for me. I have a smartphone I use at work - it's a tool, like my computer - and then I use the dumbphone as my main personal phone.
We need legislation that will make sure that we can still access public services without a smartphone. For example, when a public bus requires a QR code. Some parking in the downtown where I live can only be accessed with a smartphone. Or a government authenticator requires an app. There are tons of examples where services offered to the public require a smartphone.