there is this very fascinating concept of loops.

it’s basically how your brain determines where to put the energy.

i went down the rabbit hole of open loops.

whenever you have to do something, maybe reply to a text, write a blog, or take a shower, your brain creates an open loop. each unfinished task is an open loop.

each open loop takes some amount of energy. it’s like a process always running in the background.

if you haven’t heard about the zeigarnik effect, it’s basically that you remember incomplete or interrupted tasks better than completed ones. the concept of loops is based on this effect.

the more open loops you have, the more energy your brain needs. the moment you start closing the open loops, you start to take back the energy that is leaking.

media houses use this loop psychology to keep you hooked. if you ever binged a series, they use cliffhangers a lot.

cliffhangers are a type of open loop designed to create suspense. a tv show ending on a dramatic twist is an open loop, but so is pausing mid-episode, except one is about tension and the other is about your brain craving closure.

the same concept is used by famous writers.

when you are writing a book, article, or a blog and you can’t seem to stop yourself, it’s simply because they have mastered the art of opening and closing the loops at the right time.

in theory, it sounds simple.

just open a loop before each paragraph. your brain will crave to keep reading, and close the loop just in time before your mind gets exhausted seeking closure.

and that’s why you struggle to read a 1 page article but complete a 250 page book in one week. i have abstracted a lot of details here, but you get the point.

productivity gurus will sell you 100 different frameworks to reclaim control of your life and become the best version of yourself. in reality, it is as simple as closing the open loops.

right now, if you are feeling shitty, that’s because you have too many open loops. go close them.

the only productivity advice i believe in:

take a paper, write down all the open loops (tasks), and start completing them one by one. with each task, you will feel more energetic because you are basically closing all the background processes in your mind. it’s like restarting your computer when it starts to lag.

this is the reason why you suddenly feel so energetic right after completing a big project, even when you haven’t slept for 2 days. your awareness and energy will be through the roof.

because you just closed a loop and your brain is rewarding you for it.

i have closed my loop by writing this article. it was at the back of my mind for a very long time.

time to chase the other loops!

adios.