Leaving things unfinished goes beyond simple carelessness or unimportant lightness. From the psychological point of view, this is a symptom that should not be overlooked. Particularly in cases where it is not something occasional, but systematic.
By leaving things unfinished we accumulate anguish. Each task or commitment that is left half is a cycle that remains open. And while it remains open, it continues to gravitate over your life, even if you do not realize it. You feel the emotional weight of the disorder, although you do not perceive it concretely. You also experience the dull anguish that occurs suddenly, often. You fill with discomfort, in a word.
"Nothing tires more than the constant reminder of the unfinished task."
-William James-
The reasons for leaving things unfinished can be many. Sometimes external circumstances influence, but in most cases it has to do with ourselves. We do not conclude because there is something that gets in the way, some reality that we are avoiding. Let's deepen.
The reasons for leaving things unfinished
In our lives there are big and small goals, as well as big and small tasks. What happens in those who choose to leave things unfinished is a break between objectives and tasks. The purpose is to do something, but this does not become a concrete action to achieve it.
The reasons for this to happen are many. However, there are some that have great relevance. These are:
* Low self-esteem. When there is not enough self-love, it is thought that what is done has little value. What does it matter or not? There is a perception that failure to do a task will not make any difference.
* Feeling of failure. Take the form of failing to define a "why". As if everything was already lost and no effort was worth it. It is one of the facets of depression.
* Feeling of uselessness. Some people think that it is better to leave things unfinished because in the end they will be wrong. There is fear for the result. Therefore, leaving everything unfinished avoids confronting one's own limitations, whether real or imagined
* Distraction. It appears when there are other aspects that completely absorb the attention, interest or mental energy available. Therefore, there is no availability to engage in another task. And if it is done, half done
* Overload. When there are more commitments than time to comply, it is usual to leave everything half done
The consequences of leaving things unfinished
As we see, leaving things unfinished gives rise to multiple negative consequences. Basically, it introduces a sense of anguish that can become growing and invasive. Also, of course, it ends up affecting self-esteem and self-assessment.
The main consequences of leaving things unfinished are:
* Favors the appearance of constant stress.
* It generates a feeling of stagnation. It is as if you stayed on the same point and you will not be able to move forward. You can never approve any task to continue with the next one.
* It affects productivity. It will be very difficult to achieve important goals if everything is left half. This makes us inefficient, while we spend energy permanently.
* Disperse the attention. By not managing to close the cycles of each task, your mind is going to be thinking about several things at the same time. The unfinished tasks, the time you need to achieve it, etc.
* It prevents starting new projects. You do not feel that freedom to start something new.
How to solve it?
Leaving things unfinished is a problem that must be resolved on two levels. The first one has to do with breaking the habit. This begins as a more or less unconscious act and ends up becoming a habit.
What you should do is carry out three basic actions. The first thing is to make realistic planning, setting goals that are truly achievable. The second thing is to divide the tasks into steps and carry out one. The third thing is to learn to introduce active pauses. That is, limited rest periods to recover strength and move on.
On the other hand, the problem must be solved on a deeper level. It is possible that you are doing something that you detest and feel trapped. Or that you have a feeling of incompetence that invades you. It is also possible that behind all this there is a depression in the making. Whatever the case may be, it must be thoroughly explored.