I think this gets back to what I said about being okay with bike-shedding. Researching and exploring the design space is a critical part of every project. Its okay to commit time to thinking, planning, and exploring.

I feel that as engineers we generally react negatively to the idea of bike-shedding or "building cathedrals" but the reality is that there is always a bike-shed. The question we should be asking is not should we deliberate over the design of the project, but rather to what degree does this project (and consequently the business in paid situations) benefit from deliberation.

In the case of personal projects, I am far more concerned with the process then the outcome and will allow myself to indulge in bike-shedding maximally.