What does the idiom chase your tail mean?

The idiom "chase your tail" means to engage in a pointless, repetitive, and unproductive activity. It implies that you're going in circles, getting nowhere, and wasting time and energy.

Here are some examples of how the idiom is used:

* "I've been chasing my tail all day trying to find the missing file." This means the person has spent the whole day searching for the file without success.

* "The company is chasing its tail trying to meet deadlines." This means the company is struggling to keep up with its commitments and is running around in circles trying to catch up.

* "He's been chasing his tail trying to fix the broken computer." This means the person is trying to repair the computer, but their efforts are not effective.

The idiom's imagery comes from the idea of a dog chasing its own tail, going around in circles and achieving nothing.