Like Monk Mode, But Even Better...

This is healthier AND more sustainable...

March 15, 2024

1,164 Words | 4 Min 57 Sec Read

Zen Garden

Welcome to another issue of Passionate Income.

Today we’ll be discussing how you can get the upsides of Monk Mode (higher productivity) without the downsides.

In particular, a two to four-cycle approach that allows for dedicated bursts of focus without having to fully isolate yourself for 3-6 months.

Let’s dive in.

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In the day-to-day grind of business, it can be easy to lose the big picture.

Especially when you have Hustle Culture gurus like Gary Vee and Andy Frisella breathing down your neck about the need to work work work.

In reality, however, very few people are ultra-productive on a consistent, 52 weeks per year basis (except true blood entrepreneurs like Elon Musk, etc.). Especially as it relates to online business, where most people just want to make $10,000 per month working remotely.

Instead, most people's productivity goes up and down depending on a variety of factors, from their mood to their romantic life and more.

To combat this, a new trend has started where people recommend doing Monk Mode. If you're not familiar with it (we covered the concept in this ​issue​), Monk Mode involves socially isolating yourself - and doing a dopamine detox - for 3-6 months so you can focus on building your business.

While some people swear by it, the process has its fair share of downsides.

Mainly as it relates to the negative effects of social isolation, and the emotional difficulty of trying to break decades-old habits while also trying to focus on building a business.

So what's the solution?

Years and years ago, I heard ​Taylor Welch​ refer to the concept of having different seasons in business.

Similar to how a farmer does different types of work - at different levels of intensity - depending on whether it's Spring, Summer, Winter or Fall, Taylor says entrepreneurs should follow a similar process.

At a minimum, they should have a Summer and Winter.

As you can imagine, Summer is defined by aggressive and abnormally high levels of productivity. On the flip side, Winter is for resting, regrouping and mapping out long-term strategies.

Taking this a level deeper, you could add a Spring and Fall.

Spring is when you lay the foundation for an aggressive sprint (Summer), while Fall is when you reap the benefits of all that hustling while adjusting to the realities of a larger and faster-growing business.

Whether you opt to rotate between two or four seasons doesn't matter.

What's important is understanding it's near impossible to maintain abnormally high levels of productivity for months and years on end.

In fact, while it's true some people burn out for existential reasons (i.e. they lose the passion for their business), in most cases burnout is a result of people trying to live in Summer mode non-stop.

Instead, Taylor says he's much more productive (on a macro scale) when he identifies what season his business is in - or should be in - and adjusts his lifestyle accordingly.

During Summer sprints, Taylor mentions having frequent communication with his wife regarding the fact he would working late hours, traveling, missing out on family dinners, etc.

Unlike most workaholics, however, this level of dedication is meant to be temporary. It's a sacrifice designed to move the needle when the dynamics of the business call for it.

More important, once a certain level of productivity has been achieved - or the commitment to Summer begins to wreak havoc on the entrepreneur's personal life - it's time to shift gears into Fall or Winter.

On the surface, switching seasons sounds easy enough. But as you've likely experienced, it can be hard to slow down.

Especially when you first get momentum after months/years of struggle. And in all honesty, momentum is a powerful force you should work to maintain.

But there's a difference between maintaining momentum and trying to sprint non-stop for months and months (let alone years).

To be clear, slowing down as you transition from Summer to Fall does not mean coasting or putting your business on autopilot.

Instead, it means taking a breather so you can adjust to having more clients, customers, employees, etc. It means updating your systems, processes and operations so the people who buy from you have a good experience.

Sadly, many entrepreneurs who start to grow during their Summer months stay in hyper-growth mode for much too long.

The only problem is, in their desire to maximize revenue and profit, they end up neglecting the people who've already spent money with them (their existing customers and clients).

Which, in turn, leads to bad experiences, refunds and cancellations, and a poor brand reputation / bad word of mouth.

Because of that, working in seasons doesn't just help you maintain emotional stability long-term, it can help you grow at a more optimal rate (versus max growth, which can generate more cash in the short-term but usually has negative consequences over the long-term).

So, if you're not a fan of locking yourself in a remote cabin for six months, but want the upside of dramatically enhanced productivity, consider running your business in cycles.

In particular, start with Spring by laying the foundation for a highly productive sprint (which will be your first Summer).

Then, once you're ready, commit to 2-4 months of aggressive productivity.

While you don't have to isolate yourself from society, you should be working enough hours during "Summer" that dating, partying, traveling, and anything that's highly distracting (and could upset your physical and mental performance) is eliminated.

Then, once you've completed your sprint, shift into Fall or Winter so you can adapt to the newfound growth you've experienced in your business while enjoying some R&R (which is equally important for long-term performance).

But no matter what you do, don't fool yourself into believing you can be hyper-productive 52 weeks per year.

While the Elon Musks and Garry Vees of the world pull it off, you're not them.*

*If you were, you wouldn't be reading this newsletter right now LOL

Instead, identify which season is most appropriate for your business, then adapt your behavior, work hours and lifestyle to that decision.

💡 Takeaway: Instead of trying to maintain an above-average level of productivity year-round, most entrepreneurs would be better off rotating through a cycle of high, medium, and low productivity 'seasons.'

🎁 Resources:

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