Lagging Indicators for Confirmation - How much is too much?

Been trying to get my head around using things like GDP or even CPI prints for trade confirmation, not just anticipating. I understand they're lagging, but I keep finding myself waiting for the actual release to validate a bias, which often means missing the initial move entirely. Or worse, the market has already priced it in, and my entry is late and on a reversal. For those of you who successfully use these, what's your approach? Do you use them as a final filter, or are they more for overall directional context rather than specific entry/exit timing?