How To End Writers' Block With the "90-Day Open Loop" Method

“The dishes in my mind: the very knowledge of them, what needs to get done, keeps me from cooking something new.” — Nuar Alsadir, Fourth Person Singular

This article gives you a simple but effective recipe to publish uncompleted writing projects in 90 days or less — or, alternatively, delete them and make space for new ideas.

Because let’s be honest:?

How many article drafts do you have in your backlog??

Your uncompleted projects slow you down.

They create “open loops” in your brain that make you feel guilty and steal your attention.

The “90-Day Open Loop” method solves that problem.

It’s based on three rules:

• open loops need to be closed fast, within 90 days or less
• you need a simple system to decide if you’ll finish the project, or delete it
• you need to unblock the negative emotions from open loops

Below is a step-by-step guide to do that.

Why “open loops” slow down your?brain

Researcher and psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik discovered that uncompleted tasks — open loops — occupy our brains more than completed projects. That means, we waste time thinking about what we haven’t done.?

Our brains can’t let go of unfinished writing projects. The bigger the backlog, the slower we get:

• your subconscious engages with uncompleted tasks?
• that creates mental load and distraction — you keep remembering what’s still to be done instead of focusing on something new
• you get blocked on your current writing and feel guilty and overwhelmed
• you may even use your unfinished projects as an excuse to procrastinate on new writing — and lose your flow altogether

Don’t get paralyzed. Use the “90-day open loop” method instead.

The “90-day open loop”?method

1. Take?stock

• Make a list of all the places where you save drafts and uncompleted projects. Include anything in your notebooks, digital folders, Medium drafts, etc.
• Go to these locations and count how many “open loops” you’ve got. What’s that number?
• Emotional tip: Take a breath – be self-compassionate if the number is high. There’s nothing wrong with having many ideas — you’re a creative, after all! It’s just impossible to finish them all.?

2. Pick your drafts to complete in 90-days or?less

• Pick 3 projects from the backlog that will help you become your Future Self. Use my Goal Filter if you’re unsure which one to keep or drop.
• For each of the projects you want to finish, create a 90-day timeline and milestones (use the goal roadmap template in The Write Habit planner). Prioritize them in your calendar and go all in — start today.
• Mark a day in your calendar (e.g. in 14 days) where you’ll check if you did indeed work on completing these projects. If no, you’re not fully committed— drop them off your list.?
• Emotional tip: If you struggle, imagine your Future Self — and how free and elated you will feel when you remove the backlog from your life. You’re only 90 days away from that vision!

Do not delay any of these “to save” projects by slotting them in later in the year. You’ve already done that. By delaying them, you extend the open loop and make it even bigger.

3. Your freedom?ritual

Most of the unfinished projects on your backlog list are a clear “no”. They aren’t your priority. Here’s a ritual to let them go and gain freedom right away:

• Take a deep breath, and then delete them, one by one. For example, go to your draft folder on Medium, and click delete. Rip out notebook pages, or cross out these projects on your lists. Throw away your post-its. Remove them from your excel sheet.?
• If you feel massive resistance, move these unwanted projects to an “archive” folder out of your sight.
• Emotional tip: With each “delete”, feel the dopamine hit from freeing yourself. You’re doing your Future Self the biggest favor possible! Take a deep breath and feel the expansion in your body. Do a high-five in the air — whatever makes your mind and body mark the moment of freedom!

Every old project helped you get to where you are now. You learned new skills, tried something out, and gained insights. It’s done its job — time to let it go.

When you follow the steps, your slate is clean — what will you write next?

Download The Write Habit 2023 planner for free to close open loops now.

Schedule a consult to join my next 90-day writing accelerator program starting in February!