I hit a wall in January. My screen time was ugly. My focus felt thin, like stale gum. So I opened Reddit, typed “monk mode,” and jumped in.
You know what? It wasn’t perfect. But it worked better than I thought.
Part of the nudge came from reading another candid recap—this 30-day attempt at Monk Mode with Reddit—which made the whole experiment feel possible. Shortly after, I landed on a Forbes piece that broke down how going into Monk Mode can supercharge productivity, and it convinced me the idea wasn't just Reddit hype.
Quick backstory (because context matters)
I work from home, doing content and light design for small brands. Slack pings a lot. The fridge is loud. My cat sleeps on my keyboard. You get it.
I kept seeing posts on r/monkmode. People were quitting junk habits and reporting wins. Some of it felt loud and macho. But the check-in threads? Simple. Real. That’s what hooked me. Even the World Economic Forum has weighed in, arguing that a stint of “monk mode” can measurably boost productivity.
Around the same time I stumbled on someone who went Monk Mode for 30 days and spelled out what actually happened, so the idea was already simmering.
How I used Reddit with monk mode
I followed the weekly check-in posts. I set my rules. I posted updates two or three times a week. Nothing fancy. No long essays. Just tiny reports and a “thank you” to anyone who replied.
Here were my rules for 30 days:
- No Instagram or TikTok. Reddit only for check-ins, 15 minutes.
- Work blocks: 90 minutes, twice a day.
- Gym or a 30-minute walk, 5 days a week.
- Read 10 pages at night.
- Bed by 11 p.m. (no phone in bed).
- One coffee before noon. No alcohol.
Tools I used:
- iPhone Focus for Work and Sleep
- Screen Time limits (Reddit: 15 minutes)
- Cold Turkey Blocker on my Mac, 9–1 and 2–5
- Forest app to stay off my phone
- Notion to track days and wins
I also tested a free dashboard called Monkify that bundles timers, streaks, and gentle nudges into one tidy screen, and it slotted neatly into the routine.
I know, it sounds strict. Here’s the twist: I allowed one “messy” day each week. That saved me.
If you need a blow-by-blow of what worked, flopped, and ultimately stuck, this detailed 30-day Monk Mode challenge log is worth a skim.
Week 1: The jitters
Day 4 was the worst. I wanted to watch YouTube at 10 p.m. My hands felt itchy. I opened Forest, planted a tree, and just stared at it. I read 11 pages of a book. It felt childish and also… nice.
I posted a short update on Reddit: “Day 4. Didn’t quit. Walked. Read. Cranky.” I got six kind replies. One person said, “Focus is a muscle, not a mood.” That line stuck.
Week 2: Social life, yikes
A friend had a birthday at a bar. I drank soda with lime. I felt weird at first. Then I laughed, danced, and left early. I woke up clear. I wrote a clean draft for a client by 9 a.m. That never happens on a Sunday.
That week, a Redditor shared a tiny trick: put your phone in a hardback book sleeve. Silly. But I tried it at night and stayed off my phone. My sleep got deeper.
One Redditor DM’d me about how I was handling dating while on a digital detox. I actually hit pause on the swipe-fest for the month, but I also bookmarked these free local sex apps that rank hookup platforms by cost, user base, and how quickly you can set up an in-person meet-up, so when the sprint ends you can jump back into a social life without losing hours to mindless scrolling.
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Week 3: Real wins
I built two pitch decks in one sitting. No fluff. I even sent one early. The client replied with a fast “yes.” Money came in quicker. Not huge money—still, that felt good. I tracked it in Notion with a green tag called “Monk Wins.” Little dorky, very helpful.
Also, my kitchen felt calmer. I prepped rice and chicken on Sunday. I salted it right. Simple food made me steady. Funny how that happens.
Week 4: I slipped, then reset
I broke the rules one night and scrolled for 45 minutes. Just sat there in the blue glow. I told the Reddit thread the next day. Someone said, “Start the block again, now.” So I did. Cold Turkey went back on. No drama. The slip didn’t cancel the streak. It taught me how to crawl back.
Moments like that reminded me of pieces such as “I tried Monk Mode so you don’t have to”, where the author owns their missteps and still keeps moving.
Real numbers from my 30 days
- Screen time: from 5h 40m/day to 2h 50m/day
- Words written for work: 16,200 (Notion count)
- Gym/walk days: 22/30
- Nights with 7+ hours sleep: 22
- Money saved from no drinks: about $120
- Reddit time: 15 minutes most days, sometimes less
These aren’t huge, but they were steady. The steady part changed me.
What I liked about the Reddit side
- Fast check-ins. No big plan needed.
- Simple templates. People would post “Day X: Kept rules 4/6. Struggled with Y.”
- Helpful nudges, not just hype.
- Memes on rough days. Laughed a little, then kept going.
What bugged me
- Some threads felt harsh or macho. Not my scene.
- A few posts pushed wild health claims. I skipped those.
- All-or-nothing talk pops up. I do better with “most days” talk.
- If you work nights or have kids, you’ll need to adjust. The 5 a.m. grind posts can feel off.
A day that sold me on it
Tuesday, week 3:
- 7:00 a.m. eggs and toast, cat head-butt to the face (strong start)
- 8:30–10:00 deep work block with Cold Turkey on
- 10:05 quick Reddit check-in, 2 comments back
- 12:10 gym, short lift, no hero stuff
- 2:00–3:30 second block; I finished a deck early
- 9:45 reading in bed; phone in book sleeve
- 10:30 lights out; kitchen quiet, brain quiet
It felt… clean. Not perfect. Clean.
Tips that actually helped me
- Pick three rules, not twelve.
- Add friction: book sleeve, app blocks, loud kitchen timer.
- Write tiny wins every night. “Walked even though it rained” counts.
- Keep one “messy” day. It protects your week.
- Use the weekly Reddit thread. Don’t scroll. Just post and bounce.
Who it’s for
- Students who want a reset
- Freelancers who juggle five tabs and a snack drawer
- Anyone who wants less noise and a steady plan
Who should skip or tweak it
- If strict rules make you spiral
- If your job needs constant social media
- If you’re in a rough mental spot and need real care first
My verdict
Monk mode with Reddit gave me structure and a soft push. It cut the fluff. It made me a little braver with boring tasks. I’ll use it in 2-week sprints now, not all year. For me, it’s an 8/10.
If you’re curious about the nitty-gritty—what I did, what broke, what stuck—this write-up of another 30-day Monk Mode stint lines up almost eer