How do you actually make time to try new tools and get feedback on what you build?
Lately I’ve been feeling a bit overwhelmed with how many new products, repos, and tools are coming out every day.
There’s a lot I’d like to try or incorporate into my workflow, but in reality I rarely find the time to actually sit down and test things properly.
What usually happens is:
I see something interesting → save it → maybe skim it → and then move on.
Same with projects. I’ll build something, get it working locally, and then never really take the extra step to get it in front of people or gather feedback.
Curious how you all handle this:
How do you stay up to date with new tools without it becoming a time sink?
And how do you make sure things you build actually get tested or seen by others?
Feels like that gap between “this looks interesting” and “I actually tried it” is where most things get lost.
Replies
I block out Friday afternoons just for tool testing and usually pick one thing per week max, otherwise nothing gets proper attention.
Apparent for Gmail
I try to prioritize tools that clearly value your time. I find it means the developers likely built their product with that in mind, and its more likely to be a net benefit. Maybe a bit of survival of the fittest?
I've been looking at ways to try and "exchange" with other developers. Each uses the others product over a longer period of time, providing feedback as improvements are made. Would be happy to offer to you if interested.