4 Reasons Monk Life is a Utopia for Modern Workers
And how to make it your reality.
1. Location, location, location
“We need the tonic of wildness. We can never have enough of nature.” — Henry David Thoreau
Firstly, monks live in monasteries which are often found deep in nature. Residing in the middle of the woods not only means that monks enjoy solitude and silence, but they’re able to be deeply connected to the environment, engaging with it during long walks and meditation sessions, and through foraging and farming. And research shows that simply looking at greenery can help clear the mind. If you’ve spent much time in natural environments, you’ll have noticed that just watching the seasons evolve is enough to make you feel revitalised, too. So, it’s time we took advantage of these benefits.
2. Minimalist architecture
Monasteries are designed to maximise the power of silence and solitude. But although they may look simple, their often minimalist design and clever use of light and space can be fundamental to the sense of peace monasteries create.
From Tadao Ando and Renzo Piano to John Pawson, some of the most famous architects of all time were inspired by and involved in designing these dwellings because of their ability to be physical spaces that feel like spiritual worlds.
3. Silence and solitude
An essential element of monk life is the solitude and silence they enjoy. No distractions of any kind are present as they reflect, write, read, and engage in rituals that allow their minds to wander. Solitude is not scary to them because it’s so beneficial.
4. Habits and rituals
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” — Aristotle
Monks have rituals that keep them in flow from sunrise to sunset. Their mornings start with early meditation sessions for reflection. Their days are then divided into slots for reading, learning, foraging, manual labour, and contemplation. This powerful sequence of events regulates their time and allows them to focus and be mindful of each moment and task — a practice that could also be beneficial for modern workers.
How we’re making this vision a reality?
Of course, our current workplaces don’t blend well with elements of monk life. Silence and solitude, for one, is very hard to come by in an office.
So, our goal is to change this. We’re developing a new type of workplace — monastery-style dwellings for people to immerse themselves in their tasks without distractions — spaces for deep work.
The buildings we’re creating will feature minimalist architectural design. They’ll be based in the woods where you, or your staff, can retreat for a few hours or up to a couple of days. You can come with your own work mission, and you won’t be confronted by a full package of group activities. Our only goal is to put the focus back into your workflow.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram to give us feedback on each step of our journey. We’d love your input on the architectural side of the project, and to hear what content you’d like to see next. Let’s go into Monk Mode and change work culture together.
