Can you remember three things you accomplished three days ago?
…
Before I started using this notebook I couldn’t answer this. Over the past month I’ve made the monk manual a daily habit and I wanted to share some of the things I found and also do a thorough review on the quality and craftsmanship that has clearly gone into this book.
(My three things are listed at the end in case you want to know)
The monk manual is a 90 day journal that promotes more planning and reflection rather than just filling up the day with tasks and checking them off. This notebook is very helpful if you are looking for more in life than just the short term feeling of completing tasks, and shows you what you have accomplished while moving toward a greater goal in your life.
Intro to the Monk Manual
Monk Manual started as a Kickstarter project in October 2018 by Steven Lawson. Leaning on his background in psychology, he has built a very interesting and purpose-driven notebook layout.
Monthly
The notebook is divided into three sections, Monthly, Weekly, and Daily. This is to help plan, act, and reflect within each timeframe to help provide a more purposeful life.
Weekly
When I first started it was a bit overwhelming at first because there are no examples or guides on how to start. There is a short intro to what you will get out of using the manual, but no specific pointers on where to start. The website has a lot of good material and if you are looking to use this, I would start with their pdf guide here.
Daily
The daily pages are my favorite and where I gain the most insight to where I am trying to go in life. I have struggled over the past month to help find a new purpose for my work and by setting up a plan for the next day, it has genuinely helped me. I start my daily page with coffee in the morning, and on the second page once the day is over, I fill it out with a evening drink to relax and reflect.
The Notebook
Getting into the construction for a bit, overall I am very happy with the design and construction. It comes wrapped beautifully like a gift and includes a few stickers along with a small pocket notebook to keep track of things throughout the day.
Free Pocket Notebook - dot grid 3in by 5in
My favorite part of the design is the three book markers. These help mark the current month, week, and day which doesn’t sound like much, but they are very handy!
The Details
Size - Standard A5 8.5in x 5.5in
Weight - 1lb 3oz
4 Monthly page layouts, 14 weekly page layouts, 91 daily layouts, and 10 dot grid pages
Paper - Light Cream colored and I am guessing 100gsm paper weight
Expandable back pocket for loose pages
No pen loop
Cost - $38 (They offer a quarterly subscription for 20% off)
Along with the notebook comes a wealth of knowledge as the folks there are constantly creating helpful videos and blog content to help keep you going. There is also a large Facebook community of fellow ‘monks?'
Coming soon is the Sprout Journal which is designed for kids. As I have been working on my notebook my kids have offered suggestions about what I should do the next day and they have even filled out some things in their own notebooks. I am excited to see what they come up with and you can check it out here.
Personal Contract with past Mike
Overall I am very happy with this notebook and will continue using this well into the future. The page layouts are very well designed and act as a good support structure for my own personal growth.
By the way, to answer the first question, the three things I accomplished three days ago are:
Signed off on a new case design from the manufacturer
Ran 6 miles
Washed all the windows in and outside
If I missed anything or have any questions about the book please let me know!
Thanks for reading!
Mike :)
P.S. As always I was not paid for this review and my thoughts are my own. Cheers!
