Three-minute explainer on… monk mode

The lifestyle trend promises to help people become more productive and successful – could a monastic mindset be beneficial for CEOs?

Monk Mode

With 78 million views on TikTok and a growing congregation of followers, the ‘monk mode’ concept is quickly gaining traction. Proponents claim that following its simple rules can help people to stop procrastinating and, in turn, lead more successful lives.

What is monk mode?

Inspired by the ascetic lifestyle of Buddhist monks, monk mode prescribes similar levels of self-discipline and dedication to reach a goal. Followers claim that focusing on one target, for a set time, increases the likelihood of success.

While a monastic lifestyle of strict seclusion isn’t necessary for monk mode, some periods of meditation and self-reflection are recommended – one TikTok influencer suggests 10 minutes of meditation a day, for instance.

Monk mode followers are also encouraged to cut out distractions. This could mean avoiding social media, alcohol or eating processed foods.

Can monk mode help your business?

Online influencers have made bold claims about the positive effects of monk mode on everything from their weight to their income. One TikTok user professed that the lifestyle hack helped them to build their business from a turnover of $60,000 to $200,000.

There also seems to be disagreement on the requirements of monk mode, with some people listing three golden rules and others mentioning up to seven.

Monk mode won’t make you an overnight millionaire

As with any lifestyle trend, any promises that it will change your life should be taken with a large pinch of salt. Going monk mode is not the solution to every problem, and there are clearly no guarantees that removing distractions will lead to a more prosperous business or personal life.

But there may be useful lessons to learn from the viral trend. With constantly increasing digital interruptions, being more intentional with when and where we use our electronic devices can help us improve our productivity. 

Similarly, many people find that meditation and being more mindful brings numerous benefits to their mental health.

While monk mode won’t make you an overnight millionaire, the concept may contain useful pointers to help you achieve your next business goal.