Espresso is a rabbit hole only if you choose to go that way. I keep my workflow as simple and clean as possible. The fussiest things I do are weigh input/output, RDT and WDT because they're relatively quick and have made improvements in the cup. My setup isn't fancy, I'm not a pro barista, but I can still make better coffee than any of the cafes near me, and still on par with what I can get in a good NYC cafe. I have no interest getting into flow/pressure profiling, grinder RPMs, and some of these other concepts that aren't very well understood yet because I think it would probably take the enjoyment out of it. At that point it's more like a research project than a hobby.
Keep it simple and get the basics down first. One should be able to pull a good shot without RDT, WDT, fancy puck grooming tools, etc. Those things might eke out small improvements, but won't make good espresso on their own.