If you’ve been on TikTok recently, you’ve probably seen “nonnamaxxing” pop up. The trend draws inspiration from the idea of a “nonna” (Italian grandmother) lifestyle, which is someone who moves through life slowly, intentionally, and with care. Think of home-cooked meals, tidy spaces, soft routines, and finding joy in everyday tasks that usually feel mundane. At its core, nonnamaxxing is about rejecting hustle culture and embracing a softer, more grounded way of living.
Like a lot of lifestyle trends, nonnamaxxing really took off on TikTok, where creators began sharing clips of themselves cooking from scratch, cleaning their homes, tending to plants, and romanticizing quiet, domestic moments. It’s aesthetically pleasing, calming to watch, and honestly, a little inspirational.
I’ll be honest, this trend felt a little unrealistic for me. I don’t cook or bake. I mostly eat the food my mom makes because it’s there, it’s good, and I genuinely don’t know what I’m doing in the kitchen. So the idea of suddenly becoming someone who hand-makes pasta from scratch felt ambitious and a lot of work.
But I still wanted to try the spirit of it. So for one week, I leaned into the slower, more intentional parts of nonnamaxxing without pretending I was going to transform into a full-on home chef.
Day 1:
The first thing I noticed was how automatic my routines are. I usually rush through mornings by checking my phone, skipping breakfast, and moving on to the next thing (which is usually getting ready for class).
So I made a small change: I sat down and ate breakfast without my phone. It sounds minor, but it felt different. I wasn’t multitasking. I wasn’t distracted. I was just eating. It made me realize how rarely I actually pause during the day. I didn’t suddenly feel like a new person, but it was a start.
Day 2:
Nonnamaxxing has this underlying idea that not every moment needs to be optimized. Normally, if I have free time, I feel like I should be doing something like homework, studying, or anything remotely productive. But on Day 2, I let myself slow down without feeling guilty about it.
I played music while getting ready instead of rushing. I took my time between tasks instead of stacking everything back-to-back. It felt unnatural at first, like I was wasting time. But by the end of the day, I felt less overwhelmed than usual.
Day 3:
By Day 3, I started realizing this lifestyle isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing things differently.
Since I wasn’t suddenly going to become someone who cooks, I focused on what I could change. Instead of just grabbing food and leaving, I stayed and helped set things up a little. I paid more attention during meals instead of treating them like a quick stop between tasks.
It sounds small, but it made a difference. Everything felt less rushed and more grounded. I also started appreciating home-cooked food more. When you actually sit down and eat without distractions, you notice the effort behind it. It made me realize how much I usually take that for granted.
Day 4:
This was probably my favorite day. I started adding small things to make my space feel calmer by playing softer music, keeping my desk cleaner, and even just dimming the lights a bit in the evening.
None of it was dramatic, but it changed how my day felt. Everything felt quieter and less chaotic. I think that’s a big part of why people like this trend. It’s not about becoming a completely different person; it’s about adjusting your environment so your life feels less overwhelming.
Day 5:
This was the point where the trend stopped feeling aesthetic and started feeling real. Being intentional takes effort. Slowing down takes effort. Even just not reaching for your phone every few minutes takes effort.
There were multiple moments where I caught myself slipping back into my habits: scrolling while eating, rushing through things, multitasking everything. And honestly, I didn’t stop myself every time.
I think that’s what made this feel sustainable, though. It wasn’t about being perfect or fully committing to a completely different lifestyle. It was just about noticing those patterns and changing them when I could.
Day 6:
Day 6 felt the most natural. At this point, I wasn’t thinking as hard about “doing the trend right.” I was just more aware of what I was doing throughout the day. I noticed little things, like how long I talk with my family, how quickly I usually finish meals, and how often I reach for my phone without thinking.
Nothing big changed, but I felt more present in a way that didn’t take effort anymore. It just felt normal.
Day 7:
At this point, I stopped thinking about this as a “challenge” and started thinking about what was actually realistic for me: I’m not going to wake up early every day. I’m not suddenly going to learn how to cook full meals from scratch. And I’m definitely not going to have a perfectly slow, peaceful routine all the time.
But I did notice a few things that felt easy enough to keep. For one, being more present during meals. That was probably the biggest shift. Just sitting down, not being on my phone, and actually eating without rushing made a bigger difference than I expected.
I also liked not jumping straight into chaos in the morning. Even if I can’t completely slow down, I can at least avoid immediately going on my phone or rushing through everything without thinking. And weirdly, I think I’ll keep the mindset more than anything else. Not everything has to be done as fast as possible. Not every moment needs to be filled.
So, did I become a Nonna?
While I’m not committing to nonnamaxxing full-time, I am keeping the parts that made my day feel a little less overwhelming and a little more intentional. Nonnamaxxing online can feel a little idealized, but at its core, it’s really just about being more intentional with your time and energy.
You don’t have to suddenly start baking bread or cooking elaborate meals to try it. For me, it had nothing to do with cooking at all. It was more about slowing down, being present, and actually experiencing parts of my day instead of rushing through them.
I didn’t become a nonna in a week, obviously — but I did stop treating every moment like something to get through. And honestly, that shift mattered more than anything else.