Have you ever consistently thought about that one task you didn’t complete?
Be it an email you wanted to send, a blog post half-written, or a phone call you never made or attended, these unfinished tasks occupy more space in your mind than completed ones. Well, this is more than a feeling. This is a phenomenon known as the Zeigarnik Effect. Understanding it can help you enhance your productivity, minimize anxiety, and help you stay focused.
In this article, we’ll explore what the Zeigarnik Effect is, why your brain sticks to open tasks, and how to use this particular psychological trick to your advantage.
What is the Zeigarnik Effect?
The Zeigarnik Effect is mainly a psychological principle that illustrates why people remember unfinished, incomplete, or interrupted tasks better than completed ones. Named after Soviet psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik, this theory made its way when she observed that waiters clearly remembered unpaid orders than the paid ones.
Once the task completed (the bill paid), the task seemed to fade away from their memory. Fascinated and intrigued, Zeigarnik conducted some studies to confirm that the mind creates mental tension around incomplete and unfinished tasks. So, they remain active in short-term memory.
For example, if you have an exam, you will probably remember lots of things. But after the exam, it will take time to remmeber all those things. The reason?
Well, as that information is no use to you, it easily vanished from your memory.
The Psychology Behind It
When you start working on a task but don’t finish it, your brain registers a sense of incompletion. This creates a state of internal tension or cognitive dissonance, urging you to return and complete the task at once. It’s like leaving a story or watching an episode ending on a cliffhanger, your mind keeps looping it until there’s closure, and you see the end.
This effect also connects closely with:
- Cognitive Load Theory: Incomplete tasks add to your mental “to-do” list.
- Attention Residue: Switching tasks without closure and completion leaves a mental residue that influences focus.
Everyday Examples of the Zeigarnik Effect
- You find yourself thinking about an email you haven’t sent yet.
- A half-read book nags at you more than the one you finished reading.
- You recall the chore you didn’t do or forget more than the five you did.
- You have a notification that you haven’t checked yet.
- You have filled out a job application and get a notification saying your profile is only 80% complete. You feel like you cannot move on to another task until you complete setting it up (100%).
- You went shopping and took your kids to school, but you keep on thinking about the laundry you didn’t finish folding.
How Marketers and Designers Use the Zeigarnik Effect
Marketers, content creators, and app designers are masters at using the Zeigarnik Effect to their advantage.
- An email series that stops mid-story forces you to open the next email.
- To-do apps show unfinished tasks to trigger action.
- Gamified platforms show “progress bars” that are never quite full.
- Clickbait titles create intense curiosity loops (“You won’t believe what happened next!”).
Benefits of the Zeigarnik Effect
When employed correctly, this effect can:
- Enhance motivation: Starting something small results in a psychological urge to finish it ASAP.
- Improve memory: You’ll retain all the tasks and content better when left slightly open.
- Increase productivity: Incomplete tasks create follow-through more than completed ones.
How to Use the Zeigarnik Effect for Productivity
- Start with small steps.
Begin a task, even if just for two to three minutes. Your brain will want to finish it at your earliest convenience. - Use the “open loop” strategy.
Deliberately stop at a mid-point to make it easier to resume later. - Break tasks into chunks.
Divide some of your projects into small parts so that completing each brings satisfaction and enhances dopamine production. - Create a task dashboard.
Keep track of what you have started and what needs closure using a productivity app like Todoist or Notion. - Apply it to studying.
Pause during peak as it will focus to make your brain return to it.
Tips to Manage Anxiety from Unfinished Tasks
To avoid feeling overwhelmed or consumed by this effect:
- Use task management apps.
- Prioritize tasks that are important.
- Brain-dump before bed to clear your mental clutter.
- Set clear deadlines for closure and stick to them.
Downsides: When the Zeigarnik Effect Becomes a Trap
While helpful, this particular effect can also backfire in many ways:
- You feel mentally cluttered and stuck from too many open tasks.
- You struggle to relax.
- You struggle to switch off from work easily.
- You experience anxiety or guilt from unresolved responsibilities.
Too many open holes can drain your mental energy and contribute to chronic stress or burnout.
The Zeigarnik Effect is not merely a psychological trick; it’s an impactful tool. If you’re a student, creative, or entrepreneur, you can use this principle to stay motivated, minimize procrastination, and enhance task completion.
Try this today: Pick a task you’ve been avoiding for days. Start it for just five minutes and stop midway. Let your brain’s natural tension compel you back to finish it in time.
