Fixing the symptom repeatedly can become a way of protecting the cause.

Relief can be a way of avoiding change. Every time you handle the symptom smoothly, the underlying cause becomes less urgent and less visible, and your competence at coping quietly removes the pressure that would have forced a real fix. The better you get at managing it, the longer it survives.

Count how many times you have handled the same recurring problem this year. If the number is high, treat that as the finding rather than a fact about how busy you are. Ask what would have to change for it not to recur.