Everyday there’s something new—new gadgets, new websites, new social media—and each new tool requires your time and attention. Do you acquire new tools just because they’re new? Or do you first consider how useful they’ll be to you? Here are some questions to ask yourself:
- How much does this new tool cost? Can I really justify the expense or the added subscription fees?
- What’s the cost–benefit ratio? How much will it cost in relation to the new business it’ll bring in?
- If it’s not going to help me with my business, why am I getting it? Do I really need it, or do I just want it?
- Will using this new tool require me to buy more stuff to go along with it?
- How steep is the learning curve and how long before I’ll be using it well?
- How much time will it take to get this new tool configured and set up properly?
- How many minutes (or hours) will I spend each day playing around with it and could I be using my time more productively?
- If I’m getting it just for fun, when will I find the time to use it? There are only so many hours in a day.
- Does this new tool replace something I own that’s truly obsolete and outdated, or can I keep using what I have for just a bit longer?
- What’s the environmental impact of acquiring this new tool and throwing out my old one?
