Programming · by Hugo Sánchez · 2026-09-09
What I wish I knew before trying tools without making it complicated
Part of me wanted the fancy version with all the tools. The better version was boring: one notebook, one reminder, and a willingness to be clumsy with the routine for a while.
I started this because my rainy evening felt a little stuck, and learning seemed like a manageable place to experiment. The funny part is that the smallest change was the one I kept.
A few notes from my attempt:
- keep the first step visible
- remove one annoying decision
- celebrate the boring repeat
218 sparks · 34 comments
Comments
Chinedu Adeyemi · 20 likes
Good reminder that boring can be good. The Cairo example makes it feel concrete.
Mateo Cruz · 5 likes
@ng_coder82 My wallet felt that.
Tiny Atlas · 18 likes
Agree completely. The simple version is underrated. I keep a note about debugging for exactly this reason.
Cedar Otter · 15 likes
The boring logistics are always the hidden part. I would test it for 9 days before deciding.
Yui Tanaka · 9 likes
I am mostly here for the follow-up. The São Paulo example makes it feel concrete.
Quiet Fern · 7 likes
I wish more posts had this much context.
Brian Otieno · 7 likes
This is the kind of useful internet I still show up for. That is the kind of detail beginners miss.
Zeynep Demir · 6 likes
What happened after the first week? I am curious whether complicated stayed easy. I would write it down before changing anything else.
Felix Weber · 6 likes
I appreciate the honest middle stage, not just the polished ending. For me it came down to the setup.
Paolo Garcia · 6 likes
That last line is excellent. That is the kind of detail beginners miss. The boring solution is probably the reliable one here.
Amina Okafor · 5 likes
Big fan of this approach. It sounds small, but the first draft matters.
Jasmine Cruz · 1 likes
I like this more than the top-level advice.
Martina Fernández · 4 likes
Helpful and not preachy, which is rare. I learned that one the expensive way.
Jonas Schneider · 4 likes
I am saving this for the next time I overthink making. This is more useful on a tired weekend than on a perfect day.
Midnight Baker · 1 likes
Agree completely. The simple version is underrated. This is where I would ask one more question before choosing.
Isha Menon · 5 likes
Thanks for making it less intimidating.
Kabir Khan · 2 likes
Exactly; the hidden cost is energy.
Isha Menon · 1 likes
Kind of wild how often before is the whole issue.
Elif Yılmaz · 1 likes
Exactly; the hidden cost is energy.
Rachel Tan · 1 likes
Really good advice, and it feels doable. The social part surprised me too.
Budi Santoso · 1 likes
Love the tiny experiment energy. The a coworking table detail changes the whole answer.
Mariam Al Mansoori · 1 likes
That is a surprisingly elegant way to frame it. A little friction removed goes a long way. Good reminder that tools should serve people, not the reverse.
Midnight Sparrow · 1 likes
Do you think this would work in a smaller place than Melbourne? I would love to see a follow-up after 6 weeks. This is exactly the kind of tradeoff teams argue about for weeks.
Paolo Garcia · 0 likes
I am saving this for the next time I overthink making. The weekend version is even more interesting.
Pixel Atlas · 0 likes
This sounds good, but in practice it can be a bad idea without more context. The weekend version is even more interesting.