About this quote

Complexity often hides behind the promise of simplicity. When a tool requires a massive guide to solve a minor problem, you are probably looking at a bad design. True utility should be obvious and immediate. Why do we keep buying over-engineered gadgets that end up sitting in a drawer? Look at your own life for these hidden time-sinks and cut them out before they drain your energy.

When to use it

• Before we sign the contract for this new project management software, look at the training requirements. If we need a three-week bootcamp just to assign tasks, the tool is a trap.
• My cousin bought a high-tech soup maker that took an hour to clean and assemble every single time. She went back to using a simple metal pot after two days.
• I tried using a hyper-detailed budgeting app that required manual syncing for every single cup of coffee. It was so exhausting that I stopped tracking my expenses entirely.