Hey there,

Quick note: I wrote this after realizing I was mentally revisiting the same unfinished tasks all week while making zero progress. If that’s you too, this will help.

In today’s newsletter, I’m breaking down how to close open loops so you can end your day feeling done.

What's a great article, video, or podcast that you've enjoyed recently? Reply to this email/post and I'll be sure to share the responses in a future newsletter!

How to Feel Done While Life Is Loud

Surprising fact: most of your daily stress isn’t from workload—it’s from open loops (unfinished tasks, undecided decisions, uncommunicated commitments). If you have 25 open loops and each steals just 2 minutes of mental “status checks,” that’s 50 minutes a day—vanished.

For parents and creators, this open-loop tax shows up as poor sleep, jumpy focus, and a constant sense that you’re behind—even when you’re not.

Why “Work Harder” Doesn’t Work

The common approach is to sprint harder, stack more to-dos, and hope momentum will mop up the mess. It doesn’t. You move faster, but the loop count stays high because the system is missing two pieces: decisions and closures.

What works better: a brief daily/weekly ritual that 1) converts chaos into a list, 2) makes small, final decisions, and 3) triggers tiny, visible closures. Readers who do this report fewer tabs open (physical and mental), more consistent output, and calmer evenings.

Step 1: Foundation — The 10-Minute Loop Sweep

This is the crucial base. Skipping it guarantees leaks later.

Exactly what to do:

• Set a 10-minute timer.
• Brain-dump every loop into one list: Home, Work, Admin, Health, Relationships.
• Include messages to send, tiny repairs, decisions you’re dodging, and promises you’ve made (even casual ones).

Done right: nothing remains “held in the head.” Example: “email Ms. Carter about Friday pickup,” “replace blinking hallway bulb,” “decide newsletter topic,” “RSVP to Jacob’s party.”

Step 2: Analysis — Read the Signals

Use your list as a diagnostic, not a guilt trip.

Answer three questions:

1. What moved forward this week?
2. What lingered (and why)?
3. What patterns emerged (by theme, time of day, or energy)?

Counterintuitive insight: the stickiest loops are usually undecided ones, not unfinished ones. Once a decision exists (“yes/no/by when”), action gets simple.

Step 3: Strategy — The 4D Close Map

Convert analysis into if/then decisions:

• Do (≤2 minutes): If it’s tiny, do it now.
• Decide (needs direction): If info is missing, set a 5-minute choice boundary (pick a default, ask one person, schedule a date to decide).
• Delegate (not your lane): If someone else can own it, assign a name + deadline + success criteria.
• Drop (no longer serves): If it’s stale, explicitly cancel it (and tell anyone affected).

Common thread: every path ends with a closure artifact—a sent message, a calendar block, a checked box, or a conscious cancellation.

Step 4: Implementation — The “Close 5” Sprint

Switch into execution. Here’s a real pattern you can mirror:

• Starting point: 28 open loops; evenings feel scattered.
• Key decisions: Chose 5 closes/day for 4 days. Pre-decided Do/Decide/Delegate/Drop the night before.
• Actual results (Day 1): Sent 3 messages (teacher, dentist, project ETA), ordered the hallway bulb, dropped a “someday” task. 5 closures in 22 minutes.
• Lessons learned: Most loops fell once a small decision happened; momentum beats mood.

Unexpected benefit: sleep improved because the brain trusts closures more than intentions.

Step 5: Optimization — Make Done Repeatable

Refine with tiny adjustments:

Measure:

• Loop Count: how many total loops exist now?
• Close Rate: # closed / # attempted (target 80%+ this week).
• Time to Close: average minutes per loop (watch it shrink).

Spot opportunities:

• Batch similar messages.
• Add defaults (e.g., if no RSVP by Wednesday → decline).
• Pre-decide templates for frequent loops (sick-day email, “can we reschedule?” text).

First-week challenge: get your Loop Count under 12 and your Close Rate to 80%. Small win, big relief.

When Things Go Wrong

Most common roadblock: the list swells mid-week and overwhelms you. That’s not failure; it’s a signal that collection works and decision-making lags.

Recovery steps:

1. Run a 5-minute “Decide Only” pass—no doing allowed.
2. Drop 1 low-value loop per category (say it out loud: “I’m not doing this”).
3. Schedule a 15-minute Close 5 for tonight and protect it like an appointment.

Pressure fades the moment a few artifacts ship (messages sent, blocks scheduled, cancellations communicated).

Your Path Forward

• Today (10 min): Do the Loop Sweep. Pick 5 closes. Ship them.
• Tomorrow (20 min): Decide-first pass, then Close 5.
• Friday (15 min): Weekly Sweep + 4D Map + Close 5. Log your Loop Count.
• Next week: Install a standing 15-minute Loop Sweep on your calendar (same time, same place). Protect it.

Single most important action: Close 5 today. Momentum beats mood, every time.

Worth Noting:

• Related resource: If you want my simple Close 5 checklist template (Google Doc), reply “LOOPS” and I’ll send it.
• Additional insight: Most loops vanish when you make a default decision in advance (“If no response by X, I choose Y.”)
• Useful tip: Keep one “Closure” smart folder in email. When you move a thread there, it means a clear next step or a clean end exists.

Hit reply and tell me your current Loop Count and the one loop you’ll close by tonight.

—Matt

P.S. If this resonated with you, one of the best compliments I could receive is for you to share it with others!

For other ways to get in touch, be sure to check out my Linktree, and for some of my favorite products and stacks, be sure to check out my Benable page.

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