Monk Mode, Anyone?
First off, what is MONK MODE? This gained its popularity on platforms like TikTok is, at its core, a productivity-hack inspired by Zen-like focus of monks. This personal development trend took off on TikTok last year with #monkmode racking up more than 77 million views. Monk Mode, Anyone? So, MONK MODE is all about embracing principles like mindfulness, minimalism, and purposeful work. The idea is to unplug from the usual chaos and focus on WHAT truly matters by giving yourself yourself permission to concentrate on a task at hand๐๐๐
It's true that we all live in an extremely hyper-connected world [and ironically, WHEN we get hit with an internet OR power outage, it's like the end-of-the world], so it's no longer surprising that we get constantly bombarded with distractions. Can we imagine reading a book while in the middle of Japan's Shibuya Crossing? OR New York's Time Square? OR Jakarta's Monas roundabout? No way, Jose❗❗❗
So, WHAT's this craze all about MONK MODE? As this is entirely new to me, let me take a leaf from what I do read. That MONK MODE offers a respite from all the chaos that keeps challenging us. That MONK MODE gives us the ability to set aside time for deep work and reflection. And WHILE many are using it to simply ignore distractions and embraced a focused work instead, others find it helpful to give up bad habits such as drinking alcohol, eating junk food, getting hooked with drugs OR even getting 'hostaged' by social media๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ
And according to the strong advocates of MONK MODE, this is NOT just a productivity hack BUT instead, a lifestyle change [drastic as it may be] that encourages us to be more intentional with our time. And to the advocates, MONK MODE is akin to putting our brain on a high-performance cleanse as it strips away all possible distractions even as it sharpens our focus and even boosts our self-confidence๐๐๐
Our takeaway: Surely, just at that tipping point WHEN you stumbled across the word 'MONK' you might have blurted out like, "I'M NOT A BUDDHIST" but hey dude, this is NOT about religion or faith at all. This is simply embracing the best of both worlds, adopting the best practices which, by coincidence, MONKs are most noted for. So, let's take a pulse check. MONK MODE, ANYONE???