The Unfinished Business Experiment

In the 1920s, psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik noticed something interesting. Waiters in a café could remember unpaid orders in detail—but once the bill was settled, they forgot them almost instantly. Curious about this, she ran a study to dig deeper.

In her experiment, a group of people was given simple tasks like solving puzzles or assembling boxes. Some were interrupted before they could finish, while others completed their tasks without interruption. Later, when asked to recall what they had worked on, those who had been interrupted remembered their unfinished tasks far more than those who had completed them.

This became known as the Zeigarnik Effect—our brains tend to hold onto unfinished tasks like open tabs in a browser, keeping them active in our minds until they’re resolved.

I don’t think about the laundry that’s already folded and put away, but the pile of clean clothes waiting to be sorted nags at me. The text messages I haven’t replied to, the follow-up appointment with the doctor I meant to schedule—these small, unfinished tasks linger in the back of my mind, taking up mental space.

Unfinished tasks stick with us because they create open loops. Our brains don’t like loose ends, so they keep nudging us to resolve them. The problem is, we don’t always follow through. Instead, we let those small, lingering tasks pile up, adding low-level stress to our days.

One way to combat that is by keeping a list of unfinished tasks—so I’m not relying on my brain to keep them on relentless repeat. Instead of carrying them around in my head all day, I have them on paper, and that alone helps free up some mental space.

I also set aside time each day to close a loop. Even taking a few minutes to tackle one unfinished task helps clear mental clutter and creates a sense of relief.

Sometimes, though, there’s something stopping us from getting it done. Maybe the task is boring, tedious, or just too intimidating to start. Maybe it feels too big to finish—or too small to even matter. But closing one loop makes a difference. It’s a moment of action, a step forward. It means we faced those reluctant feelings, took a chance, made a decision, and moved. And that’s worth it.

ACTION: Pick one unfinished task that’s been nagging at you and close the loop. Send the message, make the call, or check that box. See how much lighter you feel once it’s off your mind.