Setbacks and Restarts
Adjusting a plan without giving up on the goal
Change the part of a plan that keeps failing, keep the goal, and set a stopping rule in advance. Learn which parts to adjust first and how to revise a plan without quitting.
The collection
Setbacks and Restarts
What to do when routines slip: finding the cause, adjusting the plan without quitting, and restarting a goal after a break or a bad week.
Setbacks and Restarts
Finding the real cause behind a stalled goal
A stalled goal usually has one of a few causes: an unclear target, no scheduled time, low energy or a method that does not fit. Learn how to check each one and test a single fix.
Setbacks and Restarts
Handling a bad day without abandoning your system
A bad day does not have to end your productivity system. Set a minimum version for each part, log the lapse in one line and return to the full plan the next morning.
Setbacks and Restarts
How to restart a goal after a long break
A restart after a long break works best as a new plan built from the old one. Review the goal, build a smaller restart version, ease back in and begin a clean log.
Setbacks and Restarts
What to do after a week of missed routines
After a week of missed routines, resist making up the lost days. Diagnose what happened, shrink the routine to a version you can finish and plan a specific restart day.