And how to harness it at work.
Have you ever noticed how unfinished tasks stick in your mind long after the work day ends? If you’re anything like me, there’ll be something left on your to‑do list, a half‑written email in drafts, or a deck you lost momentum with. My brain refuses to let them go. It can be really annoying!
I found out recently this has a name: the Zeigarnik effect.
It comes from psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik, who noticed that waiters were far better at remembering unpaid orders than those already completed. The idea is simple: our brains hold onto unfinished or interrupted tasks more than completed ones.
Once you notice it, it’s hard to unsee.
What’s interesting is how often unfinished things don’t really go away. Even when they’re no longer front of mind, they sit quietly in the background, waiting. I notice this a lot in my work. During leadership programmes, I’m good at remembering names while I’m in the room, but once the event’s over, they fade quickly.
It isn’t always a bad thing. Stepping away from something unfinished can sometimes lead to clearer thinking later. But there’s a tipping point. When too many things are left open, it stops feeling like useful momentum and starts to become mentally draining.
I see this in conversations too. Discussions about culture or development that end without a clear next step tend to stick with me far more than those that feel properly wrapped up. The same with feedback. When something is left unclear, it hangs around like a bad smell.
Lately, I’ve been more intentional about what I leave open. Breaking work into smaller parts helps. Writing half‑formed ideas down helps too. Getting them out of my head and onto something tangible creates space.
I’m also keeping a rough list of ideas that aren’t ready yet. Not things to act on immediately, just somewhere for them to sit without taking up mental bandwidth.
The question I’m asking myself each day is: what am I choosing to leave unfinished, and is it helping or hindering how I work?
It’s a simple question, but a useful one. Because the unfinished things don’t just influence what we do next. They influence how we think, where our attention goes, and ultimately how we behave.
If this is something you’re reflecting on more broadly in your role, the CHRO Impact Framework is a free guide that offers practical prompts to help you think differently about how you focus your time and energy.
