2 'Messy Habits' That Actually Boost Productivity, By A Psychologist

The habits you've been told to break might actually be your secret to productivity. A psychologist explains why leaving tasks unfinished and letting your desk get cluttered can boost creativity and output — and when messiness backfires.

WHO: Psychologist Mark Travers, writing for Forbes. WHAT: Identifies two counterintuitive productivity habits — leaving tasks incomplete and maintaining a messy workspace. WHERE: Global audience via Forbes online. WHEN: July 2026. WHY IT MATTERS NOW: In a world obsessed with optimization and Marie Kondo-style tidiness, embracing controlled messiness challenges conventional productivity wisdom and offers a psychologically grounded alternative for knowledge workers.

The idea flies in the face of standard productivity advice, which preaches completion and organization. But psychology has long noted that certain forms of incompleteness and disorder can fuel creativity. The Zeigarnik effect, first described in the 1920s, shows that unfinished tasks occupy our mental background, creating a tension that keeps us focused and motivated to finish. Meanwhile, research on creativity suggests that moderate environmental disorder can encourage unconventional thinking and break rigid patterns.

Travers specifically points to two habits. First, intentionally leaving tasks unfinished — not out of procrastination, but as a deliberate strategy to maintain mental engagement. Second, tolerating a cluttered desk — provided it’s not chaotic or stressful. He notes that famous innovators like Einstein and Steve Jobs were known for messy workspaces. The key is intentionality: messiness that reflects active work, not passive disorganization.

But messiness backfires when it triggers overwhelm or anxiety. If your clutter is distracting rather than inspiring, or if leaving tasks unfinished causes stress rather than productive tension, the benefits vanish. The dividing line is control: you need to own the mess, not let it own you.

This analysis resonates in an era of remote work and digital overload. As workers seek to reclaim focus without resorting to rigid productivity hacks, understanding the psychology behind messy habits offers a nuanced path. It suggests that the most productive environment isn’t necessarily the cleanest or most complete.

The outlook: Expect more workplace research on optimal disorder and task-tension management. For individuals, the lesson is to experiment with controlled messiness — leave a project mid-sentence, let papers pile up deliberately — and gauge your own response. The goal isn’t chaos; it’s harnessing the creative energy that structured messiness can unlock.