Revivalist is a reader-supported endeavor and our posts may contain affiliate links. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

I was on my third coffee of the morning, mindlessly scrolling through my phone while shoving toast into my mouth. I realized I couldn’t remember the last time I actually enjoyed a meal. The burnout was real. So I decided to try something radical, living like an Italian grandmother for a month. Real cooking, offline hours, actual human connection, the whole nonnamaxxing experience. Here’s what happened.

What Exactly Is the Nonnamaxxing Challenge

Nonna maxxing is all about channeling the lifestyle of an Italian grandmother. Think less screen time, more homemade pasta. It’s about slowing down, prioritizing face-to-face connections, and embracing the kind of intentional living that feels almost rebellious in our always-on culture.

This trend isn’t just nostalgia. It borrows heavily from lifestyle medicine research, particularly the Blue Zones studies that examine the world’s longest-lived populations. Sardinia, Italy, is one of these Blue Zones, home to almost 10 times more centenarians per capita than the United States. The Sardinian lifestyle centers on daily movement, strong social bonds, plant-based eating and purpose. Sound familiar? That’s nonna maxxing in a nutshell.

Why I Tried It

I felt drained by the nonstop pace of modern life, running on my third coffee of the morning and staring at an inbox packed with 200 unread emails. I couldn’t even remember the last time I truly tasted my lunch, instead of quickly eating it at my desk. Every day felt like a race I was struggling to keep up with.

The constant push to be productive ultimately backfires. Working 55 hours a week or more can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The endless hustle culture leads to burnout and anxiety that leaves you feeling like you’re never doing enough. I was tired of feeling inadequate. I wanted to see if slowing down could actually make me feel more alive.

The Rules of My 30-Day Nonnamaxxing Challenge

I needed clear boundaries, so I set three nonnegotiable rules for the month.

• The kitchen is my sanctuary: This meant cooking at least one meal from scratch per day. No shortcuts, no delivery apps. If I wanted dinner, I had to make it myself.
• Daily analog time: Every single day, I had to spend at least one hour completely offline. No phone, no laptop, no TV. Just me and the physical world.
• Foster community: Once a week, I had to host someone. A friend for coffee, my mom for lunch, a neighbor for an afternoon chat. The point was a real, in-person connection.

The Unexpected Joys of Living Like a Nonna

I expected this experiment to feel restrictive. Instead, it opened up space I didn’t know I needed.

The Joy of Single-Tasking

Kneading bread dough on a Saturday morning changed something in me. My hands were busy, flour everywhere, and for once, my mind wasn’t racing through my to-do list. I wasn’t checking my phone between stirs or answering emails while the sauce simmered. The constant buzzing in my brain finally quieted.

This kind of focus mirrors the hygge mindset, the Danish concept of embracing a cozy and intentional mindset that prioritizes presence over productivity. When you’re fully absorbed in one task, there’s no room for anxiety about the next 10 things you should be doing.

Discovering True Comfort

My offline hours forced me to make my home a place I actually wanted to be. I lit candles, put on music, and curled up with a book. I rearranged my living room so it felt inviting instead of just functional. Slowly, my apartment became a retreat instead of a place I collapsed at the end of the day.

Again, this aligns with embracing a cozy and intentional mindset. Nonnamaxxing pushed me to explore comfort outside of the dopamine hits from social media. Real comfort, the kind that doesn’t disappear the second you close an app.

Connecting With Nature

My daily movement became tending to a small container garden on my balcony. It forced me outside for a dose of sunlight and fresh air. Watching basil and tomatoes grow from seeds I planted made me feel connected to something beyond my screen.

Starting a small garden grew my love for fruits and vegetables and deepened my appreciation for nature. Research shows that physically stimulating outdoor activities lead to increased mobility and reduced sedentary behavior. They can even help build cognitive reserve to protect the brain as we age.

Where the Nonna Lifestyle Fell Short

Let me be honest. This wasn’t all sunshine and homemade focaccia. There were real challenges.

• The inconvenience is real: There was a Tuesday when, after a long day, all I wanted was to order a pizza. But my rules said cook from scratch. An hour later, standing in front of a mountain of flour-dusted dishes, I was romanticizing the convenience of Uber Eats.
• The pressure to be authentic: At first, I felt like a fraud. Was I really nonnamaxxing if I was using a KitchenAid mixer instead of my bare hands? I had to remind myself that this was about capturing a feeling, not perfectly recreating a 1950s Italian kitchen.
• Time is a luxury: This lifestyle requires time, a resource that often feels scarce. That slow-simmering sauce is wonderful, but it also takes three hours. It was a privilege to even have that time to spare, and it’s not realistic for everyone, every day.

How to Start Your Own Nonnamaxxing Journey

You don’t have to overhaul your entire life to benefit from nonna-inspired habits. Start small and build from there.

• Tip 1: Start with a micro-nonna habit. Buy a basil plant and keep it on your windowsill. Commit to calling one friend or family member for a real conversation each week.
• Tip 2: Focus on the why. Ask yourself what you’re craving. Is it a connection? A creative outlet? Quiet? If you’re lonely, focus on the community rule.
• Tip 3: Embrace imperfection. Your first loaf of bread might be a brick. Your knitting will have holes. Slowness can lead to mindfulness and shift how we experience time, so the practice of intentionally slowing down starts with small moments of pause.

Will I Keep Living Like an Italian Grandmother

Am I trading in my laptop for an apron full-time? No. But I’m no longer letting my life be dictated by my inbox. The challenge is over, but the digital sunsets are staying. Sunday baking is now a nonnegotiable ritual for my mental health. I’ve learned that living like a nonna isn’t about rejecting modern life. It’s about blending convenience with intentionality. Try one nonna habit this week.