I kept hearing “monk mode” like it was magic. So I tried it. Not for a day. For a month. I took notes, I messed up, I learned. And yeah, I felt weirdly calm at the end. (For another candid 30-day dive, see this 30-day test.)
Turns out, there's solid evidence it's not just hype—Forbes outlines how to be highly productive by going into monk mode, which gave me extra push to commit.
So… what is monk mode, really?
Here’s my plain view: monk mode means you cut noise for a set time. You focus on a few rules. You protect your brain. You let the work breathe.
You don’t vanish from life. You just say no a bit more. You act like a monk, but with Wi-Fi and a calendar.
For an even clearer snapshot of what a modern monk-mode day can look like, the free templates on Monkify are gold.
The rules I used (and how it felt)
I wrote mine on a sticky note. I taped it to my laptop. Simple beats fancy.
- 3 hours of deep work, Monday–Friday (6–9 a.m.)
- No social media on weekdays (Sunday afternoon check-in only)
- Gym or walk, 45 minutes daily
- Bed by 10 p.m., phone on grayscale
- One “social window” each week (2 hours)
- Daily journal at breakfast (5 lines, not a novel)
- No alcohol; no sugar after 8 p.m.
(Curious how someone else tackled a strict set of guidelines? Peek at Iman Gadzhi’s monk mode rules in practice.)
Sounds harsh? It was, a little. But it was clear. Clear makes life easy.
Day 3: the twitch
On day 3, I reached for Instagram four times before 8 a.m. My thumb moved before my brain did. I laughed, then I winced. I opened the Forest app and planted a 50-minute tree. I also put my phone in the kitchen. Far away helps.
I wrote two pages for a course I’ve been stuck on. It wasn’t pretty. It was honest. Good enough.
Week 1 wins (and the not-so-fun parts)
- Screen time went from about 5 hours to 1.5 on weekdays.
- I answered 37 emails in one hour using the two-minute rule.
- I slept 45 minutes more, on average.
- My friend thought I was mad at her. I wasn’t. I sent a long Sunday text. We were fine.
That last bit matters. Monk mode can look cold from the outside. It’s not. But people don’t know unless you tell them.
If you’re curious about why this hyper-focused stretch can boost results so dramatically, a short piece from the World Economic Forum breaks down the science behind “monk mode” productivity.
A tiny detour: cake, family, and rules
My niece turned six. There was pink cake. I ate the cake. I wasn’t mad at myself. I reset the next morning. This was big for me. Old me would’ve quit the whole thing over one slice. New me said, “Cool, back to it.”
Week 2: real work, real quiet
I wrote 14 pages in Notion. I recorded three short videos in one afternoon. I sent a pitch I’d been dodging for two months. Rejection? No. They booked me.
The quiet felt strange at first. Then it felt kind. Like soft rain. Like your brain can finally hear itself think. (A friend of mine called it modern monk mode, and yeah, the feels are similar.)
Tools that actually helped
- A cheap kitchen timer on my desk. Loud tick, honest time.
- Freedom app to block social sites.
- Forest for focus sprints. Silly trees, serious help.
- Google Calendar for my 6–9 a.m. block, colored bright red.
- A paper notebook for the 5-line journal.
- My Kindle Paperwhite at night so I don’t “just scroll.”
I like fancy headphones, too. But tape and a timer did more than gear.
The hard stretch: Week 3 loneliness
Work was smooth. My mood dipped. The house felt too quiet. I missed dumb memes. I missed loud nights. I made tea. I went for a night walk. I cried one time. Not from sadness, exactly. From release.
Still, a micro-dose of social buzz can help you reset without derailing your focus streak. I discovered that a quick ten-minute hop into a chat-first dating space like SPDate lets you talk to real people on demand and then sign off fast—perfect when you need a splash of human connection but want to stay committed to your monk-mode rules.
Texans who’d rather keep things local could also check out a community classifieds platform in the Conroe area, such as Backpage Conroe, which lists no-strings meet-ups and events so you can plan a quick coffee or walk without blowing up your schedule.
Numbers that nudged me
- Money saved from less takeout and drinks: about $220 in a month
- Weight change: down 4 pounds without trying hard
- Deadlift went up by 20 pounds (small win, big grin)
- 5K time got faster by 2 minutes
- Inbox: 2,147 to zero by Friday. Yes, zero. I took screenshots. I felt like a wizard.
Culture check: it’s not new, it’s just loud now
It reminded me of Lent for my Catholic friends. Or the focus folks have during Ramadan. Or exam season study halls. It’s a simple fast. Less noise, more aim. We just gave it a catchy name.
Where it went wrong
All-or-nothing hit me on Saturday. I binged on chips and shows. My brain snapped. So I changed it. Week 4 was “Monk Mode Lite.”
- 80/20 rule: stick to it most days; give Sunday some slack
- One planned hangout, not five
- Phone time cap, not a total lock
It was kinder. And I still got work done. (If you want the full highs and lows, this 30-day deep dive pulls no punches.)
Who should try it (and who shouldn’t)
Great for:
- Students before exams
- Freelancers on a launch
- Busy folks who need one clear goal
Not great during:
- Wedding season
- New baby time
- Big family stress weeks
Still on the fence? I tried monk mode so you don’t have to breaks down the pros and cons in even more detail.
Life comes first. Always.
How to start without breaking your brain
- Pick one main goal. One. Not five.
- Choose three rules, not ten. Keep them visible.
- Set a start and end date. Two to four weeks is solid.
- Tell one person. Ask for grace.
- Set a small reward. A hike. A nice dinner. Fresh flowers.
Drink water. Eat real food. Sleep. Work is not war.
What surprised me most
I loved it. I also kinda hated it. The quiet can sting. But the calm sticks around. My mornings still feel wider. I write faster now. I reach for my phone less. Not never—but less.
My verdict
Monk mode is a season, not a lifestyle. Do it for 2–6 weeks. Then take a rest week. Repeat when you need a reset. Don’t use it to hide. Use it to protect the work that matters.
Would I do it again? Yes. I already set my next round: two weeks in January, right after the holiday fog. Sticky note’s ready.
If you try it, be kind. Be clear. And when you eat the cake, smile, then get to bed on time. That counts too.