Evaluate Before You Adopt

Before any new tool joins your stack, put it through three questions:

• Does it solve a real problem I have now — not a hypothetical one?
• Does it replace something, or just add to the pile?
• Can I commit to using it for 30 days?

If the answer to all three isn't yes, don't install it. The 30-day rule matters because most app-hopping happens in the first week, when novelty is doing the work. A tool only proves itself after the shine wears off.