Inefficient developer workflows can have significant first- and second-order effects on productivity. The first order effect is the time spent directly on non-automated tasks, while the second order effect is the distraction caused by these inefficiencies, leading to additional time wasted recovering from interruptions. This article highlights examples of how automation can reduce these costs, such as using tools like Snyk for real-time security analysis and optimizing container build times with providers like Semaphore. It also discusses the importance of scripting in a way that minimizes its negative effects, such as avoiding "scripting hell" and ensuring that dependencies are properly extracted into configuration variables. The article concludes by emphasizing the need to regularly review and optimize workflows to improve developer productivity.