I work in finance. I know how to optimise. But I also think it’s important to know when to stop. You don’t need to chase every pound. Sometimes, good enough is good enough.

Some things are just not worth the stress

I have a pension. It’s allocated sensibly. Could I squeeze a few more basis points by choosing different funds? Probably. But the hassle outweighs the gain. Same for my wife’s savings. I could get her a better cash ISA, but it’s not worth convincing her to switch from her high street bank for 0.3 percent. I like things to be optimal, but sometimes making a decision is actually really hard. If I self-selected my funds today, something I do consider, I’d need to express an opinion that I can allocate better than the investment professional who set it up. I need to know what I’m focused on – risk, return, efficient frontier’s. Then I need to think I can select the right strategies, which even within the passive world is more complicated than it sounds on paper. Then I need to assess the relative values of the products themselves, comparing fees with track-record and methodology. Before you know it, you’ve created a lot of complexity and all you wanted was a marginal gain.

Cashback, cards, and perks – mostly ignored

I use an Amex. I have no idea if it’s the optimal card. I don’t chase cashback sites or discount schemes. It just feels like busywork. If I wanted to become an expert in credit card hacking, I could. I don’t want to.

I value simplicity more than efficiency

I cut my own grass. It’s not efficient. But I enjoy it. 30 minutes, usually in the sun, headphones on and no one to bother me. Great! We have a cleaner, because my wife values a tidy house and I value the peace that brings to her, she doesn’t like cleaning and I don’t like being nagged. We’ve found our own balance. I try not to outsource things that add complexity. Simpler systems are easier to stick to.

I’ve tried to be ultra-optimised before. It never lasts

I’ve had moments where I thought I could track everything. Automate everything. Life hack everything. But my ADHD brain doesn’t let that stick. Pretty soon it becomes friction, not flow. I prefer boring systems that are sustainable over flashy ones that fail. Right now I’m getting a reminder on my Macbook Pro to do a habit I wanted to stick to and haven’t been able to. I should probably deleted it. It is nice to think optimisation will create a zen-like peace across you, but systems take time to run and time is often the resource in shortest supply.

I see optimisation hype everywhere

Investing influencers. Credit card point blogs. FIRE forums. Not just financial world, but literally down every avenue. The pursuit of one more tweak. But most of it is noise. If it doesn’t materially affect your outcomes, why burn the energy?

Where are you consciously choosing “good enough” – and where is it costing you peace?