The famous claim that we remember interrupted tasks better hasn’t held up well — a 2025 review of dozens of studies found little difference. But the intrusive pull of unfinished work is real.
In one study, students with unplanned errands on their minds drifted while reading far more than students who had first written down exactly how, when and where they would complete them. The plan, not the completion, quietened the mind.
For teams juggling many open loops, a two-minute “parking” habit protects focus and recovery.