Ever felt tired before the day even begins?
That low-grade hum of anxiety, the constant “I should probably…” hanging in the background. It’s not your schedule. It’s not your sleep. It’s your open loops — the invisible, unfinished business occupying your brain and draining your energy without you even noticing.
We talk a lot about productivity, time management, and mindset. But one of the most underrated factors behind mental clutter and emotional fatigue? Unresolved loops.
Think of your brain like a computer with too many tabs open. Even if you’re not actively on each one, they’re still using up processing power. Closing those loops is one of the fastest ways to feel lighter, clearer, and more in control.
The loops I carried in silence
There were so many things I never said.
Conversations I should have had — with family, with colleagues, with people who hurt me, with people who should have stood by me but didn’t. Instead of speaking up, I swallowed the words. I stayed silent.
I remember rehearsing entire dialogues in my mind — “What if I had just said this?” or “If only I had defended myself.” Those loops played on repeat for years. Not days. Not weeks. Years.
Some were moments where I needed support but was too afraid to ask. Others were times when I needed to stand up for myself — and didn’t. I let bullies walk away without consequences. I let misunderstandings linger and fester. I let emotional wounds go unattended because silence felt safer than confrontation.
But that silence came at a cost.
It took so much energy to keep those scenarios spinning in my head. I looked confident on the outside, but inside, I was tired — emotionally depleted, constantly rehashing old stories, still trying to win arguments I never had.
And you know what? Healing took time. A long time. But it started with one decision: I didn’t want to carry those loops anymore.
What is an open loop?
An open loop is anything lingering in your mind that feels unresolved or incomplete. It might not seem urgent, but it’s taking up valuable space.
🌀 Open loops look like:
- That email you have been meaning to reply to
- A difficult conversation you are avoiding
- The creative idea you never started
- A project sitting half-done
- A decision you are postponing
- A lingering regret or emotional knot from the past
These aren’t just tasks — they’re energy leaks.
“Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them.” ~ David Allen
And yet, most of us are carrying dozens of these open loops around. No wonder we feel exhausted.
Why open loops drain you?
Every open loop is a mental tab — and your brain keeps checking, “Have we done this yet?” even if you’re focused on something else.
This leads to:
- Mental fatigue
- Low-grade anxiety
- Procrastination guilt
- Lack of clarity and focus
We think we can ignore them. But open loops don’t disappear — they fester. They sit quietly, piling up into overwhelm.
Unfinished tasks cause more stress than completed ones, even if they’re small.
The cost? Your peace, your presence, your potential.
The good news? Loops can be closed. One by one. And each closure brings back a little more energy, focus, and clarity.
1. Make a start (even if it’s messy)
Perfectionism is a trap. Often, we wait until we are “ready” to tackle something. But motion creates motivation.
Start badly. Start small. Just start.
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” ~ Lao Tzu
2. Break it down: Outcome vs Process Goals
If it feels too big to handle, it probably needs breaking down.
- Outcome goal: Finish the book.
- Process goal: Write 100 words a day.
Turn the mountain into manageable pebbles. Then move one at a time.
3. Deal with the emotion, not just the task
Some loops are emotional — not just practical.
- That conversation you are avoiding? There is fear underneath.
- That task you keep postponing? Maybe it is tied to self-doubt.
Close the loop not just by checking a box, but by addressing what it means. Journal. Talk it out. Get support if needed.
4. Do the thing you have been meaning to do
That lingering to-do? That idea that keeps whispering?
Act on it. Even one small action sends a signal to your brain: We are not stuck. We are moving.
Progress breeds peace.
Final Thoughts: Close the loop – FREE YOURSELF
When you close a loop — even a small one — you are not just being productive, you are reclaiming mental energy. You are telling yourself: I follow through, I finish, I clear space for what matters.
And that space? It is where creativity flows. Where clarity returns. Where new possibilities land.
“You don’t rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” – James Clear
So, create a system for clarity. And it starts with a simple question:
What loop can I close today?
🎯 Call to Action:
Take 10 minutes right now.
- Write down 3 open loops that are taking up space.
- Choose one.
- Take the first step — however small — today.
Let this be the moment you start closing the gap between intention and action. 🔒
Impact Coaching & Mentoring (ICM) for Leaders 