What is Monk Mode?
May 03, 2023
Today’s email is all about going into Monk Mode.
That is where you take the practices of Monks and apply them to your life + business.
Now at this point, you’re probably thinking I’m going to write about having fewer material items and spending hours meditating. Well, I’m not.
Instead, we’ll look at what fundamental principles you can take away from Monks to apply to your life.
Let’s outline what these are:
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Do one thing at a time
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Do it deliberately
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Complete the task before moving on
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Do fewer activities
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Give yourself space between tasks
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Designate time for certain tasks (time block)
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Devote time to thinking
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Complete what is necessary
I boil these down to two words: focus and intention.
Focus
Monk Mode requires you to focus on specific aspects of your life. This could be anything from being a more present parent, fitter, to having more career success.
Harnessing your focus toward a set of goals doesn’t mean you have to start doing more. It means you have to cut existing distractions.
Intention
Do you know that feeling when you plan for something and follow through? Pretty good, right? When you set time for certain activities, have a plan, and execute it, you are holding yourself accountable and building discipline.
Focus and intention are two principles we can learn from in business. Below I am going to give you the exact tips I use to increase both in my life.
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Take social media apps off your phone*
There is no good reason to have social media apps on your phone. Take it from me, the guy who runs a social media company, you do not need these apps on your mobile device.
They are distraction machines and can pull away your focus quickly.
*This doesn’t mean ‘no social media’ but limit your experience to desktop or tablet. This puts more intention behind your social media usage than mindlessly scrolling while you lay on the couch.
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Plan your day
When reading Gary Keller’s, The One Thing, it became clear that I was approaching my day plan incorrectly. Keller’s book focuses on keeping the main task the main task until it’s done.
With this in mind, he insists you create your to-do list with a priority in mind. How do the tasks on your list contribute to the big task you want to complete?
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Thinking isn’t wasting time.
Taking set times throughout the week to dedicate to thinking has been one of the transformative parts of my business. I give myself time every Friday to go over long-term planning and vision for my company.
Taking your head out of the sand occasionally can bring clarity to your business.