I was tired of feeling scattered. My brain felt like 17 tabs open, 3 frozen, music playing from who knows where. So I tried Monk Mode for one month. No fluff. Just rules, focus, and quiet. If you want the blow-by-blow journal I kept during that stretch, I turned it into a full recap over on Monkify’s 30-day breakdown.
You know what? It worked. Not magic. But it worked.
Quick: What I Mean by Monk Mode
It’s a stretch of time where you shut out noise and get serious. Fewer choices. Fewer pings. More doing. (If you’re wondering whether the payoff is worth the pain, the candid verdict in “Is Monk Mode Worth It?” might help you decide.) Research-backed takes suggest that implementing "Monk Mode" by carving out distraction-free blocks can dramatically sharpen focus and overall output.
My rules were simple:
- No social apps before 5 p.m.
- Two 90-minute focus blocks each weekday
- Phone stays in the kitchen while I work
- Three daily habits: write 500 words, move 30 minutes, read 20 pages
- Lights out by 10:30 p.m., even if I felt “fine”
I stuck to this for March. I set a start date and end date. That part helped a lot. If you’d like a structured toolkit that mirrors these rules, the free guide at Monkify lays out a step-by-step plan and daily check-ins.
My Setup (Very High-Tech… Not Really)
- Freedom app to block sites on my Mac.
- Forest timer for 45-minute sprints.
- Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones. Big help in a loud apartment.
- A Notion board with three columns: Today, Doing, Done.
- A cheap kitchen timer for breaks.
- Kindle Paperwhite on my nightstand. Phone stayed far away.
- A Yeti cup for water because I forget to drink if it’s not cute.
If you’re curious about how other people structure their gadgets and apps, the “hands-on review” in Does Monk Mode Work? breaks down a similar gear list.
Small tools. Big calm.
Real Wins I Saw
Let me explain what changed, week by week.
- Week 1: I cleaned my inbox from 2,314 emails to zero. Took me two mornings and a muffin. I also finished two lessons from a Figma course I had put off since fall.
- Week 2: I wrote and sent my weekly newsletter on time. Four weeks in a row, actually. No scrambling at 11 p.m.
- Week 3: I finished a website redesign for a local bakery. Fewer revisions than normal. The owner said, “You read my mind.” That felt good.
- Week 4: I cooked at home five nights. Saved about $160 on takeout. My jeans fit better. I wasn’t bloated from salt bombs.
And the numbers? Simple:
- I billed 14% more hours than last month.
- I ran a total of 28 miles. Slow, but steady.
- I read 3 books. Real books. Pages and all.
- I slept an average of 7.5 hours. My face looked less puffy. My brain felt less foggy.
(If you want a version where someone went fully monastic—no social, no alcohol, strict diet—their highs and lows are documented in “Full Monk Mode for 30 Days.”)
Did I become a brand new person? No. But I became a steadier one.
The Quiet Helps More Than You Think
By week two, the urge to check my phone got softer. My head stopped buzzing. I noticed little things: morning light on my desk, the hum of the fridge, my coffee getting cold because I was actually working. That small calm added up.
Meetings got shorter because I showed up ready. I asked better questions. My edits were sharper. I even found time to stretch my tight neck between calls. Tiny stuff. But it changes your day.
What Was Hard (And Weird)
- The first four days felt lonely. I wanted to scroll. My thumb kept waking up on its own, like, “Is there news? Is there drama?” Nope. Just me and my work.
- Friends thought I was being cold. I told them, “I’m in a focus sprint this month.” I offered coffee on Sundays. That helped.
- Saturday at 3 p.m. hit rough. Too quiet. I almost broke my rules and binged TikTok. I went for a walk instead. Boring fix. Very effective.
- I messed up on Day 12. I scrolled for 45 minutes. I almost quit the whole thing. I didn’t. I used a small rule: “Reset by 2 p.m.” Afternoon was still a win.
For instance, the afternoon I almost opened Snapchat, I realized how quickly a harmless check can spiral into a full-on flirt session. If you’ve ever found yourself teetering on that edge, the guide on safe—and actually fun—Snapchat sexting lays out clear etiquette, consent basics, and creative prompts so you can enjoy the spice without letting it hijack your focus.
That said, it’s worth noting the flip side: extended isolation can bring its own hurdles, from creeping burnout to plain old cabin fever—pitfalls the folks at BlockSite unpack in detail.
For readers who’d rather balance that isolation with an occasional, real-world meetup once the laptop snaps shut, you can streamline the search by browsing a city-specific classifieds hub like Backpage Moline, where local listings are organized, verified, and easy to filter—handy if you want quick, no-scroll social plans without undoing your hard-won focus streak.
For a longer slog (90 entire days!), the writer behind “I Went Monk Mode for 90 Days” shares how the middle-of-the-road doldrums eventually turn into something like momentum.
Small Habits That Made It Stick
- Give it an end date. It feels like a game, not a jail.
- Pick only three daily habits. Not eight. Three you can keep on bad days.
- Make the rules visible. I had them on a sticky note by my screen.
- Plan your boredom. I kept a “bored list”: fold laundry, wipe the sink, 10 push-ups, water a plant, quick walk.
- Keep a “go bag” in your backpack: charger, earplugs, gum, pen. Saved me from excuses at coffee shops.
I also added one grace rule: one social scroll on Sundays for 20 minutes. Timer on. Done after. Oddly, that kept me sane.
Work Stuff That Got Better
Here’s the thing. Monk Mode didn’t make me faster. It made me steady. And steady beats frantic.
- Fewer revisions on client work.
- Cleaner files. I named things the first time, like “Bakery_Home_v3.fig.” Yes, I know. Adulting.
- A clear start and stop to my day. My brain stopped living at my desk.
A client even said I felt “more present” on Zoom. That was new. And kind. (Another freelancer’s take—what she did, what broke, what stuck—is over in “I Went Monk Mode for 30 Days.)
Life Stuff That Got Better
- Dinners with my partner were real conversations, not half-talk while scrolling. We did a silly thing: three wins of the day. Cheesy, but sweet.
- I had less jaw tension. Fewer headaches.
- I saved money. I saw it in my bank app. That felt like a hug.
And the best part? Sunday nights didn’t feel scary. I knew what Monday looked like. My plan was simple and already set.
(If you’re curious about the popular Iman Gadzhi variant, someone road-tested it and shared their take in “I Tried Iman Gadzhi’s Monk Mode Rules.)
Who Should Try It (And Who Might Not)
Try it if:
- Your phone runs you.
- Your work needs long, quiet chunks.
- You’re sick of half-finished stuff.
Maybe skip or go “Lite” if:
- You’re caring for a newborn or a parent.
- Your job is all emergencies.
- You’re in a heavy life