ZEIGARNIK EFFECT
Mindset Mechanics Tool
Element: Growth
(also supports Healthy Mind and Safety & Security)
What it is – and why it matters
Your brain isn’t great at knowing when to let something go –
especially if it hasn’t been finished yet.
The Zeigarnik Effect is named after Bluma Zeigarnik, a Soviet psychologist in the 1920s. She discovered that people tend to recall incomplete or interrupted tasks more easily than completed ones. Not because these interrupted memories are stronger, but because the brain won’t stop thinking about them, until there’s some kind of closure.
Bluma discovered this by observing a restaurant’s staff in action. She noticed that the waiters could easily remember orders that were still unpaid, but once they had been paid, they struggled to recall any of the details.
She worked out that that this generates a form of low-level mental tension – we would say it’s like having too many tabs open in your mind.
These “open loops” compete for your attention, creating:
- Cognitive load (you’re using up processing power)
- A subtle sense of unease or distraction
- Difficulty switching off at night
- That “something’s not right” feeling – even if you can’t put your finger on it.
People talk of feeling ‘some kind of way’ or ‘low-level anxiety’, and it’s quite possibly due to the Zeigarnik Effect. Your brain thinks it’s doing a great job of not letting you forget important things, and exhausting you in the process.
(It reminds me of the way Deirdre, the cat, likes to wake us up a couple of times a night to make sure we’re not dead).
Why it’s useful – and what happens if you ignore it
Understanding the Zeigarnik Effect is powerful.
You don’t need to complete everything – but your brain does want a clear plan for what’s unfinished. Otherwise:
- Your focus becomes fractured
- You’re more prone to rumination and burnout
- Rest doesn’t feel fully restful – your mind stays “on”.
And if you’re already managing deadlines, family, work, house admin, goals, and a full email inbox…
then those extra 3–5 “unclosed loops” can start to tip the balance.
This mental ‘nagging’ isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s your brain looking after you!
This isn’t a time-management problem – it’s a mental clarity one.
What helps
Not trying to do everything.
Just appeasing the system that thinks you should.
That might look like:
- Writing it down – your brain can stop holding it
- Doing the first step – this engages momentum
- Creating a parking place – like a Sunday planning list
- Scheduling it – so it’s officially “handled”
(See Eisenhower Matrix for when to act vs. delegate or defer)
All of these options give your brain permission to move on –
because the loop is acknowledged, not abandoned.
Real-life examples
At work:
You need to write a report. It’s sitting in your head.
Instead of waiting for the perfect moment, you:
- Open the document
- Add a title
- Write a single bullet point
- Schedule time in your calendar to come back to it.
Now the task has a shape – your brain knows it’s underway, and is less likely to wake you up at 3am to remind you.
At home:
You meant to book a dentist appointment. It’s been floating for weeks.
You remember it at night – and forget again in the morning scramble.
So you:
- Add it to your Sunday list
- Set a reminder for 10am Monday
- Text yourself a note
The moment it’s captured, the loop starts to close.
Your brain gets its peace back.
A Buddh-ish take
Buddhist thinking doesn’t deny that the mind loops and clings.
It simply offers a kinder way to meet it.
From a Buddh-ish lens, the Zeigarnik Effect is a clue:
Your mind is grasping for completion – but you get to decide what’s worth finishing.
Try this instead:
- Don’t silence the noise – give it a place to land
- Close what needs closing. Gently file what doesn’t
- End the day with a “loop round-up” – so your sleep isn’t disrupted by things you could have written down
Unfinished things will always exist.
Peace comes from relating to them differently.
Try this today
Pick one thing that’s been circling in your head.
You don’t have to complete it – just start. Or capture it.
Or try this: Before bed, list three “open loops”
– and one tiny action or placeholder for each. Feel the tension soften.
Reflective prompts
- What’s one small thing I’ve been mentally carrying?
- Where could I just start – even if I don’t finish?
- What would a “loop-closing” ritual look like for me?
Closing The Loop
you could jot down…
| Open Loop | Where it’s parked | First small action | Closed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Example: Call plumber | Eisenhower Matrix | Add to calendar | ? |
| Example: Finish blog draft | Notes app | Write intro | ? |
| Example: Kids’ shoe size check | Planner | Measure Saturday | ? |
Turboboost your to-do list with a version of this in your diary, on sticky notes, or in a task app – again, not trying to manage it all. Just getting it out of your head.
Prefer digital?
You might try:
- Todoist – simple and powerful
- Notion – visual and customisable
- Google Keep – quick and cross-device
- Apple Reminders – basic but effective
- Or… a pen and post-it. Still unbeaten.