The workday is over, but you are still annoyed about the video call that would not connect, the file you could not find or the task that took far longer than it should have. The laptop might be closed. The frustration takes a little longer to leave.
Tech frustration after work is something many Australian respondents reported in Logitech’s Ctrl Tomorrow study. Some 64% said tech friction affected their overall mood after work hours. The finding raises a useful question: what is it about everyday technology problems that can make them linger?
We put that question to Art O’Gnimh, General Manager of Mice and Keyboard Solutions at Logitech. In his written responses to TechDrivePlay, he points to our sense of control: how well we understand our tools, how deliberately we choose and arrange them, and how confidently we can get them to do what we need.
What the Australian findings show
Alongside the 64% after-work finding, 60% of Australian respondents reported that tech friction affected their sense of control over their personal lives. Yet 71% believed technology created new opportunities rather than new pressures.
That combination is interesting. People can value what technology makes possible while finding parts of the daily experience frustrating. The figures describe people’s reported experiences and associations, rather than establishing cause and effect. They give us a starting point for looking at how our tools fit into everyday life.
Art’s explanation: the “control tax”
O’Gnimh says the frustration people experience when technology lets them down can carry beyond the working day. He describes the difficulties associated with feeling unable to control your tools as a “control tax”.
When people lack control over their technology, they pay what we call a control tax – where daily friction and lost minutes are strongly associated with higher levels of frustration, anxiety, and drained energy that follow them into their off-hours.
Art O’Gnimh, Logitech
His explanation puts the emphasis on the relationship between the person and the technology. Being able to understand a problem, change a setting or choose a better way to complete a task can give someone a clearer way forward.
Think of a meeting app that keeps selecting the wrong microphone. Once you know where that choice is made, you have something specific to check. The same applies to a file-saving routine you understand or a keyboard shortcut you can reliably use. These everyday examples illustrate the sense of control O’Gnimh is describing.
Why physical devices matter in an age of AI
One of the strongest points in O’Gnimh’s responses is about the role of physical hardware. As software and AI handle more activity in the background, he sees the devices we touch as a familiar connection to what is happening on screen.
Physical hardware provides a tangible anchor. As software and AI abstract more of our everyday workflows into the background, physical devices provide a grounding, tactile sense of agency and reliability, and make it easy for people to directly touch, command, and navigate their technology.
Art O’Gnimh, Logitech
A keyboard, mouse or other input device gives a person a direct way to make a choice and see a response. O’Gnimh’s argument is that this tactile interaction matters as the digital side of our lives becomes more complex.
For someone using the same setup throughout the day, that makes familiarity worth paying attention to. The way a pointer moves, the controls you use frequently and the layout of the information you need all form part of the experience. A setup that fits the task gives you a clearer way to navigate it.
Control involves the whole setup
O’Gnimh describes control as a combination of the physical setup, the digital environment and how intentionally people use their technology. The study’s Ctrl Score considers three dimensions: how deliberately people choose and evaluate their setup, their confidence and openness towards tools, and whether they see technology as helping them achieve what they want.
Frustration occurs when your physical hardware setup and digital tools are not aligned with what you are trying to accomplish.
Art O’Gnimh, Logitech
That is a useful question to bring back to your own desk. Does the setup suit the work you actually do? Have your needs changed? Are there features you already have that would make a regular task easier?
Practical ways to make everyday tech easier
When we asked what people could change using the gear they already own, O’Gnimh recommended building knowledge, regularly reviewing the setup and staying open to new tools. Here are ways to put that advice into practice. These are practical suggestions, rather than changes tested by the survey.
Start with one recurring frustration
Choose a task that repeatedly goes wrong and describe the problem clearly. “I cannot find the current project file” gives you a useful starting point. Try a consistent folder and naming routine, then see whether the next attempt is easier. For a managed work device, your IT team can help with settings you cannot change yourself.
Check whether your setup still suits you
Conduct a regular check-in on your set-up to see if it still works, or how you can personalise it to your needs, which can often be accomplished with the products you already own. This small step can shift a passive setup into an active one.
Art O’Gnimh, Logitech
Look at text size, pointer settings and the arrangement of windows you regularly compare. Make one adjustment at a time and keep track of the original setting. That makes it easier to work out what helps and change it back if needed.
Choose useful notifications
Review the apps that interrupt you most. Keep the alerts you need and adjust those you can check later. Where supported, a focus or do-not-disturb mode can help you choose when to receive notifications, with exceptions for essential contacts. Set any after-hours work boundaries around your responsibilities.
Learn a feature you will use often
O’Gnimh suggests learning shortcuts and exploring unused features. Start with a job you repeat: searching within a document, switching between apps or reusing a piece of text. Check the help pages for your app and practise the feature during an actual task.
Explore new tools with a clear purpose
O’Gnimh also recommends trying new software or workflows before frustration forces a change. Choose one task to try, then assess how well the tool fits your routine. For AI features, our guide to Hybrid AI and what your next work PC actually needs explains why the application is a useful place to start when considering hardware.
Choosing gear that supports the way you work
Reviewing a setup can also reveal a hardware limitation or fault that needs attention. A useful repair or upgrade has a clear job: restoring a function you rely on, providing the capacity a task requires or giving you controls that better suit the way you work.
If your phone no longer lasts through the day, for example, our guide to replacing the battery versus upgrading the phone works through that decision. The same principle applies across your setup: identify the need, then choose an appropriate solution.
The optimistic part of the Australian findings is that most respondents still see technology as creating opportunities. O’Gnimh’s advice offers a practical way to approach those opportunities: get familiar with your tools, choose them deliberately and keep checking how well they fit your day. That can start with one recurring task you would like to make easier.
About the research
The Ctrl Tomorrow study was commissioned by Logitech and conducted by Burson in May and June 2026 across nine countries, including Australia. The full report’s methodology lists 900 online adults per country, recruited through online research panels, and a gamer oversample. The Australian figures above come from the local results supplied by Logitech’s PR team. Art O’Gnimh’s comments were provided in a written interview with TechDrivePlay. Images were supplied by Logitech.
