Mechanics don’t guess first. They listen, then they test. Try that with your problems.

Guessing first narrows a problem before you have any information about it, and then you spend time and money on the guess. Listening and testing builds the picture from what is actually there, which is slower at the start and much faster overall. Most wrong repairs come from deciding too early.

When something goes wrong this week, allow yourself one round of gathering before acting. What exactly happens, when, under what conditions. Write it down, and only then choose what to try first.