What I'm Not Automating (Yet) — And Why That's Intentional
Everyone loves showing off what they’ve automated.
CI/CD pipelines. Air-gapped backups. Coffee makers. You name it.
But I want to talk about something different: what I’m not automating.
Not because it’s hard. Not because I can’t. But because it’s not ready—yet. Knowing when not to automate is just as important as knowing how.
Why I Hold Back Sometimes
Automation isn’t just about saving time—it’s about understanding a system deeply enough to make good decisions. That takes:
- Friction
- Repetition
- Manual observation
- And sometimes, living with the mess for a bit
If you automate too soon, you risk encoding assumptions into scripts that outlive their usefulness—or worse, silently fail in ways no one sees coming.
Here’s What I’m Holding Off On
1. Parts of My Home Assistant Setup
Could I automate more lights, fans, or even daily schedules? Sure. But I’m still learning how the house feels in different seasons and times of day. Until I get that rhythm, I’d rather keep the control manual.
And honestly? Sometimes flipping a switch is exactly the feedback I need.
2. CyberVault Code Sync & Pipelines
The urge to wire it all up is strong—but that doesn’t mean it’s wise. This environment is highly sensitive, with hardware not even fully deployed. Instead of overengineering a brittle pipeline, I’m focusing on:
- Modular code
- Manual transfers where needed
- Clarity in every step
This keeps things nimble and reduces rework as constraints shift.
3. My Own Publishing Workflow
Yes, this blog could be fully automated—from Obsidian to GitHub to production.
But that friction? I choose it—on purpose.
It forces me to look at the post one more time. To push it with intention. To stay involved in the act of shipping. That pause lets me refine the subtle stuff—the tone, the timing, the intention.
Wrapping It Up
The goal of automation is not to remove every ounce of effort. It’s to reduce the right friction.
Sometimes you have to live with the pain before you know what’s worth relieving.
Automation isn’t the destination. It’s a privilege you earn by knowing what matters.
At Methodical Cloud, we don’t automate the pain away until we understand why it hurts.
Will I automate this someday? Probably. But right now, I’m paying attention.
Methodical beats mechanical—at least until the system is ready to carry the weight.