How to restart after falling behind

Do not begin by trying to catch up. That turns recovery into another impossible project. “Catch up” assumes every old promise is still alive; usually, it is not.

Begin with today:

1. Capture anything currently rattling around in your head.
2. Look only for deadlines and promises that still matter.
3. Choose one next action that reduces current pressure.
4. Move the rest of the backlog to a later review.

Then return to weekly triage when you have enough room. Old tasks are not moral debts. Some still matter; many are evidence that plans changed.

A trusted system is not one that never gets messy. It is one you can re-enter without shame.