The Zeigarnik effect finds that people remember unfinished or interrupted tasks more than completed ones. This may help reduce procrastination, encourage the resumption of work, and increase the likelihood of task completion.
Unfinished/interrupted tasks create a cognitive tension that enhances memory retention of the task, prompting people to complete the task and free up cognitive resources; the tension is relieved once the task is completed.
The Zeigarnik effect can influence motivation and focus, making people more likely to resume and complete unfinished/interrupted tasks. It can explain why people sometimes feel compelled to finish what they start.
Long before the dawn of work management apps like Asana, Russian psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik first reported this effect in 1927 based on her observations of waiters in a Viennese restaurant. But if the shoe fits . . .
Some implications and takeaways to consider in structuring your work in Asana:
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Make it as easy as possible for people to begin high-value tasks to increase their likelihood of completion and reduce procrastination. Starting a task, even if it’s just a small part of it, can create the necessary tension to later continue and ultimately finish it. Some writers end their day deliberately leaving an unfinished paragraph or even sentence. Why? They’ve created an on-ramp for the next morning to get in the flow effortlessly and create momentum to avoid writer’s block.
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Break down tasks into smaller, manageable parts to stimulate earlier starts and a desire to return to complete an unfinished list. See Free, handy AI-assisted Goblin Tools breaks down tasks for a simple way to do this. Asana Intelligence also offers help with AI Chat/Ask AI and Smart Editor in Descriptions:
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Make unfinished tasks discoverable. Subtask lists, particularly checklists, would encourage the effect. Asana’s incomplete checkmarks do this automatically, as do Portfolio list view Progress type columns, both Milestones and Task progress:
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Use (judicious) reminders for unfinished/interrupted work. Rules triggered by overdue and incomplete work can @mention assignees in comments to good effect. Asana’s Home page Draft comments widget has often saved me from half-finished comment posts:
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Consider creating engagement goals/motivators including badges, streaks, and gamification generally. Has anyone done this with their teams in Asana or out? I think this would need to be carefully vetted but could be fun and effective in the right circumstance (or something to be strictly avoided in others!).
Please consider this post a non-rigorous introduction to the Zeigarnik effect with a particular focus on work management task-specific potential effects. I did not read the original study or even primary academic sources. Note, too, that the strength of the effect has been debated.
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Thanks,
Larry
Recurring tasks to remind me to make small progress on things that are “too big to chew”
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