A theorem is proved which enables one to obtain monotonic properties of the real part, imaginary part, modules and phase of an arbitrary analytic function in the complex plane. The monotonic properties are established from the behavior of the analytic function and its derivative on the boundary of the domain in which the monotonic properties are required. As an applicationsome monotonic results are derived for the Bessel functions $J_\nu (z)$ and $H_\nu ^{(1)} (z)$, where z is complex and $\nu$ is real and positive. The theorem and a corollary can be used to obtain monotonic properties of many other special functions of mathematical physics.