Individuals adopting 'monk mode' as a strategy to minimize their engagement with social media

Susie Alegre, a human rights lawyer and author, relies on a smartphone app called Freedom to help her stay focused on her work. The app blocks access to social media sites based on the duration she chooses, preventing her from getting easily distracted. Alegre believes it's difficult to resist wasting time on smartphones without using such apps. Freedom allows users to block specific websites or social media platforms, or even turn off internet access entirely. Users can determine the length of the blocking period and have the option to cancel it or activate a "locked mode" that cannot be overridden until the scheduled time is up. Alegre uses the Freedom app when she wants to remain reachable on her phone but avoids distractions. Other similar blocking apps gaining popularity include ColdTurkey, FocusMe, and Forest. As social media platforms and devices increasingly compete for our attention, more people are seeking ways to resist the temptation of constantly checking notifications and scrolling through social media feeds. This has led to the rise of the "monk mode" productivity approach, where individuals dedicate themselves completely to a single task without any technological or other distractions. The term "monk mode" has become viral on TikTok, with videos tagged #monkmode amassing over 77 million views. Alegre credits the Freedom app for helping her concentrate while writing her book, titled Freedom To Think, which focuses on the challenges of maintaining focus in the digital age. Grace Marshall, an author and productivity coach, emphasizes the addictive nature of social media and the internet, linking constant notifications to a release of dopamine in the brain that creates a desire to close the loop of engagement. Marshall also highlights the interruptions caused by work emails and suggests that workplaces establish guidelines for expected response times to protect work-life balance and mental health. The founder of the Freedom app, Fred Stutzman, developed the idea while in university when he found himself excessively using Facebook instead of focusing on his dissertation. He explains that social media platforms employ behavioral scientists to make their apps more stimulating, making it difficult for the average person to resist the urge to constantly check their feeds. Stutzman is pleased to counter the effects of technology with technology itself. The Freedom app experienced a significant increase in users during the pandemic, with downloads rising by 50% in 2020, and half a million new users joining in 2021. Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are reported as the most blocked social media sites. For those who prefer not to use blocking apps, productivity and mindset coach Mark Channon suggests making small changes in daily routines to manage distractions effectively. Vladimir Druts, co-founder of FocusMe, believes social media addiction should be taken seriously, and monk mode serves as a necessary contrast to the desire for instant gratification prevalent in society. With the emergence of artificial intelligence, distractions from technology are expected to grow exponentially, making monk mode an increasingly important trend.