Using examples:
MC is having a meal. sister calls, and you choose one of the choices, and that scene completes and you're back eating food, however the slide(bottom right) showing completion never moves again. I restart the same activity. Eating food. A random stranger comes up and wants to rub your belly. Make choice. Now NC is back at restaurant with a frozen status slider; until it completes the action, no karma/energy boost can be received. Never can sleep uninterrupted .. MC has a pervy dream. You make a choice to let the dream play out or resist the urge. Now, still in bed, eyes open, no further progress on rest. But my worst is doing the only quest I've started, Finding William. Go to location, status slider shows Finding William and it is moving left to right.Insert random event here. Progress stopped and need to start it all over. However event keeps getting interrupted. Need to restart.
I think emergency only would accomplish the same thing as restarting the quest or action ... all progress is lost.