Don't Underinvest in the Right Tool

I was trying (and doing a poor job) to scrape ice off my driveway a few weeks ago using a snow shovel, when my wonderful neighbor came over to lend me his ice chopper. After thanking him, and using it a few times, I realized how ridiculous I must have appreared from his window, trying to chop up solid ice with a snow shovel. I finished chopping it up, returned it to him, and prompty ordered my own ice chopper.

It was a powerful reminder that there's great value in the right tool for the job (which we already realize intuitively), but we often rush into projects or tasks without pausing to consider if there's a better tool for the job. Sometimes it's an intentional decision -- maybe the right tool is ludicrously expensive or the task is so small that it's faster to do it inefficiently than to go explore various tool options. But when that's not the case, remember to invest time in learning about the tools/options, whether it's socket adapter set for your cordless drill to tighten bolts  or considering if you could use an Excel fuction you don't know, Robotic Process Automation to automate something you're doing manually, or Generative AI to draft a new policy you're working on and refine from there to avoid starting with a blank sheet of paper.

Also, see Are You Running in the Right Direction?