Monk mode is a new TikTok trend that ensures productivity minus the distractions
(Picture: Tim van der Kuip on Unsplash)Move over goblin mode as there is a new movement on the rise, which has an emphasis on productivity and is favoured among entrepreneurs and CEOs.
Monk mode has recently gone viral on TikTok and is a practice that entails a full commitment to work minus the pesky distractions.
Monk mode could be described as the polar opposite of goblin mode, which is defined as a type of behaviour that is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations.
What is monk mode?
Put simply, monk mode refers to the rule of working solely on one task and not allowing any distractions to make you veer off course such as phones. The way of working could be called a new movement after most of us got highly distracted during lockdown with either the Covid pandemic or the addition of TikTok in our lives.
The trend went viral on TikTok last year but it has been around for decades. Many self-help gurus, entrepreneurs and tech heads have been using monk mode for quite a while.
Think like a monk
Monk mode has been said to be loosely based on Jay Shetty’s Think Like a Monk book. In the book, Shetty writes about how being a monk enabled him to have complete focus in his mind.
Shetty, who is also a popular podcaster, spoke to the Guardian about his experience.
“I want to show people that thinking like a monk isn’t just about being still and calm, it’s actually a lot more about seeing patterns and connections; seeing things in mainstream culture that remind you of wisdom,” he explained.
Monk mode is also a creative practice that allows people to implement their own type of rules in their everyday lives to ensure they are achieving their goals, whatever those may be.
One influencer, based his monk mode on three “non-negotiables”, which included 10 minutes of meditation per day, 30 minutes of exercise per day and no alcohol or drugs.
Another creator goes into monk mode by working 12-hour days for two months straight but after which he lets his hair down and parties.
Author Greg McKeown used monk mode while writing his business advice book Essentialism and for Josh Wood, CEO of the app Bloc, he used monk mode by simply turning off all devices while he wrote his 20-page blueprint for his reservation website in under an hour.
Regardless of how a person uses it, the main aim with monk mode is no distractions and allowing yourself enough time to complete your task and having some kind of reward after, even if it’s just the satisfaction of completion.
