Mental Open Loops

An unfinished decision can keep asking for attention. A message waiting for a reply, a conversation being postponed, or a task without a next step can linger long after the rest of the day has moved on.

I think of these as open loops. Closing one does not always mean finishing all the work. It can mean making a decision, naming the next action, or choosing a time to return to it.

The useful question is small: what would let me put this down for now?