I’m the queen of unfinished tasks. I start something, then I get an idea and start another thing mid-task. I can’t clean the kitchen without wandering into another room and deciding it needs cleaning as well. A lot of people chalk this behavior up to ADHD or neurodivergent brain but, at least in my case, I think it’s simply a case of being a busy overthinker trying to prioritize tasks. I have a long list of things I need to do and things I want to be doing with a brain that keeps on going. I also have trouble with something called “closing the loop”.
What Are Loops?
Closing the loop is an expression that you may find in a variety of self-help books. That’s where I first heard about it: in a book called “Don’t Overthink It” by Anne Bogel. Loops may refer to ongoing thoughts or tasks that take up space in your mind. Often, the overthinking loops and physical loops go hand-in-hand.
Having several open loops (or unfinished tasks/unresolved things on your mind) drains your energy and may make it more difficult to complete a simple task. I’m guilty of having several ongoing things at a time. I’m also a procrastinator who can’t mentally hunker down on a task. Unless, of course, I have a looming deadline or a reward on the line (like a good grade).
Usually, procrastination and overthinking habits work together. We build up a task in our heads to be more effort than it actually is. Have you ever put off something for weeks, or months even, only to realize it takes less than an hour to complete? Oh, hi, it’s me.
Needless to say, I have a lot of open loops and never feel particularly energetic.
Time to Close the Loop
Lately, I’ve been trying to be more aware of closing the loop and the tasks I often leave uncompleted. My day-to-day is like a loop battlefield if I’m being honest. I go about my day leaving them open left and right and scattered about my mental and physical to-do list. It’s no wonder I often feel a bit mentally chaotic.
The funny thing is, I don’t often have a lot of open loops at work (if I can help it). I check off things on my to-do list daily. It’s at home, where responsibilities, family time, and personal hobbies blend that I struggle the most.
Some of My Open Loops:
- Washing my laundry but taking ages to fold and put it away. Taking it a step further, I often wash it and miss the step of putting it in the dryer. Then I have to wash again. I may even have two baskets full of folded laundry (and a load in the dryer) as we speak.
- Not returning my weights or mat the three feet to their spot when I’m finished with my morning workouts
- Not responding to texts after I read them and forgetting to respond for extended amounts of time
- Writing out blog posts but taking ages to put them together in their complete form.
- Piling up the dirty pans as I cook (and making the counters messy) instead of cleaning as I go
- My half-organized basement closet
Each one of these things are relatively simple tasks (though the laundry is debatable). I could sort them out quickly by bringing them full circle instead of leaving unfinished loops. By not taking the extra few minutes to close them, I not only open myself to the slow build-up of more clutter that takes longer to clean down the road, but I give myself a lot of mental clutter as well.
As I become more conscious of closing loops, I’ve learned how little time it takes. Often, I feel better for it but it’s still a work in progress. I can’t say that closing my loops has become a full-blown habit yet, especially in the more mentally chaotic days. I am, however, more aware of them now.
Bigger Loops to Tackle
Open loops don’t only consist of uncompleted tasks. They can also consist of projects you’ve planned but haven’t started. This is a big one at home. Chris and I have a lot of things we want to do but we often put the projects off for a future date rather than knocking out what we can before bigger decision-making is involved. In turn, we look around and see projects – clogging up our mental territory with more open loops.
Other examples of open loops might be dreams or goals you’ve yet to take action on, unaddressed relationship issues, unexpressed thoughts or opinions, and appointments or services you need to schedule.
How to Take Action on Open Loops
Learning to close loops won’t happen overnight. I’ve been making a conscious effort for a while now, and I’m still far from it being a habit. I do, however, notice how much better I feel when I have a few good days of closing my loops. Some tips to start tackling your open loops are:
Write Your Loops Down in a Brain Dump
Take some time to braindump by writing down all the loops you can think of. Sometimes having a visual of everything taking up your mental space makes it easier to step back and slow down.
You don’t have to tackle everything you write down that same day. It may simply help you get a better idea of what can be broken down into smaller more manageable tasks.
Set Aside Time to Complete Smaller Tasks
Take a look at your list. Chances are the smaller tasks won’t take up much of your time. These loops usually pile up the most, despite taking only around 30 minutes to an hour to complete. Take some time to close these small loops. Then, you’ll have more mental energy to tackle the bigger, more important tasks looming over you.
Work On One Loop At a Time
Personally, this is a hard one for me. I ping-pong around, worrying I’ll forget about a new task I remembered during my current task. I might get it done if I’m in a super focused mood but chances are loops will be left open. Work on a task to completion and close that loop before starting another one. This checks items off your to-do list rather than adding to it.
Manage Your Stress
When I’m stressed, I tend to be worse at closing my loops even when I know it will alleviate some of the stress. When you’re already feeling overwhelmed, it can be easy to let things go. I’m guilty of putting off tasks and moping about. Spoiler alert, this only creates more stress in the end.
Practice good self-care and make time for the things that you enjoy. This will create a domino effect. You’ll have more energy to close your loops, which will give you more energy and space for what you enjoy. Here are some of my favorite things to do to alleviate stress.
Re-evaluate
When you see all of your open loops, you may gain a new perspective. Perhaps you’ll realize that some of the expectations you’re setting for yourself aren’t that important to you. I know all those self-help gurus preach that you should make your bed every morning. Sure, it only takes a couple of minutes, but what if that’s a loop you never seem to close? If you’re beating yourself about not doing it and allowing it to take up space in your brain, step back and consider if you truly care whether your bed is made when you get up. If you don’t, don’t try to force it and focus that energy on more important loops.
As you start taking care of the ones that matter most, you’ll find that you have more time for the secondary stuff later on.
Look at the Bigger Picture
At the end of the day, these little things we let pile up every day only take away from the big things. How many of us have sacrificed passion projects, hobbies we love, or simply relaxation in favor of chores and responsibilities? I’d bet most of us have.
By learning to close your loops as you go, you’ll create more time and mental energy for yourself. What would you do with that extra time?
Still a Work in Progress
I’m still learning to be more aware of all the loops I leave open. I try to tackle them in the moment, rather than putting them off for later. By doing so, I hope to create more space in my mind for the things I love and spend less effort on things that drain me.
There will always be chores and other responsibilities, but they don’t have to be so hard. Who wants to sit and fold 4 baskets of laundry? You could only be folding one if you’d simply closed your loop on laundry day last week. Put the dishes in the dishwasher away once they’re finished. It will save you the mental clutter of dishes piled in the sink as you accumulate more dirty dishes.
I’m still guilty of these things, but I’m striving for more stress-free and, ultimately, being more carefree. Learning to close my loops might just help me get one step closer!
What loops do you often leave open in your life? What would you do if you had more time in your day?
