I gave “monk mode” a real spin for 30 days. No fluff. No half-try. I went all in during October, right before NaNoWriMo. Hoodie weather. Dark mornings. The kind that beg for quiet.
As a reminder, monk mode is a productivity strategy that involves intense periods of uninterrupted focus, stripping away distractions so you can work with sharper efficiency and mental clarity.
Short answer? Yes—mostly. But it’s not magic. It worked for me when I treated it like a season, not a forever thing.
If you’re still on the fence, the crew at Monkify pulled no punches in their own experiment and published a blow-by-blow recap—Is Monk Mode Worth It? My 30-Day Try, Warts and Wins—that gave me the confidence to try my own spin.
What I Actually Did (My Rules)
I wrote these on a sticky note and taped it to my fridge:
- Phone on grayscale. Do Not Disturb from 6 a.m. to noon.
- Social apps blocked on weekdays with Freedom.
- Two 90-minute deep work blocks each morning.
- Gym or run 5 days a week. No booze.
- Meal prep on Sundays. Simple: chicken, rice, veggies.
- A book before bed. No screens after 9:30 p.m.
Tools I used: Notion for a simple board, Focusmate for body-doubling, the Forest timer for sprints, and my Sony noise-canceling headphones. Also a cheap kitchen timer. Funny how that little tick helps.
Of course, not everyone walks away impressed; this blunt write-up—Does Monk Mode Work? My Honest Hands-On Review—lays out the pitfalls so you can dodge them.
Quick bonus: the free daily dashboard over at Monkify gave me a single page to tick off my rules and watch my streaks build.
How It Felt, Week by Week
Week 1: Fresh and sharp. I woke at 6:00, made coffee, and the apartment felt still. The fridge hummed. I shipped a client deck by Thursday and cleaned my inbox to zero. I felt tall.
Week 2: Friction. My friends texted about tacos. I said no. Twice. It stung. I missed out. I also forgot to switch my laundry and had to rewash. Classic.
Reading someone else say “I tried monk mode so you don't have to” felt oddly reassuring; their story, found here—I Tried Monk Mode So You Don’t Have To—But You Might Want To—prepped me for the inevitable taco FOMO.
Week 3: Groove. I ran along the river three mornings in a row. Cold air. Nose sting. I set a 5K PR—by 41 seconds. I wrote 1,200 words for my course in a Focusmate session with Anna from Toronto. She knitted. I typed. It worked.
Week 4: Drag. I wasn’t bored, but I felt flat. I caught myself staring at the wall after lunch. I added a short walk at 3 p.m. Saved me. That mid-afternoon wall is also a common warning sign of burnout that can creep in when long stretches of hyper-focus lack proper breaks, a risk workplace-management researchers highlight.
What Went Great
- Focus, like a clean windshield. Two deep work blocks did more than my usual scatter all day.
- Real output. I finished two client case studies, drafted a tiny email course (five lessons), and updated my UX portfolio with fresh screenshots.
- Sleep. Phone out of the bedroom = better rest. I fell asleep faster, and stayed asleep.
- Money. No going out meant I saved about $180 that month. I saw it in my card app.
- Fitness. That 5K PR felt sweet. My knees did not complain for once—thank you, warm-up bands.
If you want an even meatier post-mortem, this 30-day challenge breakdown—My 30-Day Monk Mode Challenge: What Worked, What Flopped, What Stuck—mirrors many of my own highs and lows.
You know what? The quiet felt kind. Not harsh. Kind.
What Went Sideways
- Loneliness. My group chat kept rolling. I watched from the bench. I felt it.
- Rigidity. If a morning went off plan—plumber, neighbor noise—I lost steam. Monk mode can get brittle.
- Rebound. On day 31, I scrolled TikTok like I’d never seen a phone. Oops. I had to reset my blocks the next day. If your slippery slope tilts more toward NSFW cam sites than endless scrolling, skim this Jerkmate review for a candid breakdown of the platform’s hooks, costs, and time-management tips so you can decide with clear eyes instead of autopilot clicks.
- Home stuff slipped. I skipped a midweek shop, then ate cereal for dinner. Twice.
- Relationships. My partner said, “You feel far on Tuesdays.” He was right. I was in my head.
Another writer went full send for the same stretch and admits it both helped and hurt—his candid take lives here: I Tried Full Monk Mode for 30 Days: It Helped, It Hurt—Here’s My Honest Take.
On a related note, the quiet space that monk mode creates can sometimes nudge you toward impulse searches for real-world connection—like scanning local classifieds when the cabin fever hits. If you’re anywhere near the south-suburban Illinois scene, the rundown of available listings and safety tips on Backpage Chicago Heights by OneNightAffair gives a clear-eyed look at how those ads work, what costs to expect, and which red flags to avoid so you can weigh the option rationally instead of clicking in the heat of boredom.
Real Examples That Sold Me (And One That Didn’t)
- Tuesday, 7:10 a.m.: I sat with a mug, no phone, and set a Forest 50-minute timer. I rewrote a messy case study intro. Clear, simple. Client approved it with one note. One!
- Thursday, noon: Freedom blocked Instagram. I reached for it, out of habit, and hit a wall page that said, “Breathe.” Sounds corny. It helped.
- Saturday long run: I wanted to quit at 4 miles. I told myself, “Just one more song.” Went to 5.3. Tiny wins stack.
- The miss: I tried a full silent Sunday. No music, no podcasts. It felt sterile. I got grumpy. I won’t do that again.
Who Should Try It
- You’ve got a deadline, an exam, or a launch.
- You’re building a skill and feel spread thin.
- You need a quick reset after a messy season.
Who might hate it:
- Caregivers with wild schedules.
- Folks on-call or in reactive team roles.
- If social time is your battery, not your treat.
As a contrast, someone who stayed in monk mode for a whopping 90 days shares what they’d change next time—check out I Went Monk Mode for 90 Days: How I Did It, What I Felt, What I’d Change if you’re eyeing a longer sprint.
How I’d Make It Kinder Next Time
- 21 days, not 30. Long enough to stick, short enough to breathe.
- Two social nights a week, planned. Tacos matter.
- A “cheat window” on Saturday noon to 4 p.m. Scroll, laugh, reset.
- Keep Sunday soft. Errands, stretch, a long call with my mom.
- Swap one deep block for a study group or Focusmate doubled-up hour when I feel flat.
For a middle-ground perspective, the 45-day experiment summarized in I Tried Monk Mode for 45 Days After Reading the Book—Here’s What Stuck highlights gentler tweaks that still move the needle.
Simple tweak I loved: I put my phone in the kitchen drawer at 9 p.m. I could still hear calls. I just couldn’t reach.
Little Tips That Helped Me Stick
- Prep your desk the night before. Clean surface, open doc, one sticky note with the first task.
- Pick a uniform for deep work. Mine was hoodie, headphones, peppermint gum. Pavlov, but cute.
- Tell one friend. “I’m head-down this month. Still love you.” You’ll feel less weird