While a backlog of work might be a burden, it’s better than no work at all, and in business it guarantees survival.
Before stoves, or even matches, the kitchen fireplace was kept burning around the clock.
This was done by placing a huge log, or back log, behind the fire that would keep smoldering once the flames had died down during the night.
The embers from the back log could then ignite a new fire in the morning.
A “backlog” is an accumulation, reserve, or surplus of anything from orders at a business to work at your day job.
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