Ina Garten's Advice on Rejecting Productivity Culture Is so Relatable

The Barefoot Contessa suggests starting your day with some extra rest and Sudoku.

NBC/Getty Images
NBC/Getty Images

Peak performance culture should become a relic of the past. We should all be able to live a nice life full of rest, indulgence, and staying in bed just a little longer. Resting is fun, it's good, it's necessary. But don't just take it from me. Take it from an authority on good living, the Barefoot Contessa herself, Ina Garten.

Reese Witherspoon posted some of her top tips for having a productive day and adopting some healthy habits for overall life improvement. If you've ever seen the "That Girl" TikTok trend or follow any CEOs-turned-lifestyle-gurus, the advice may seem familiar. Witherspoon suggested starting the day with a big glass of water, getting 10 minutes of morning sunlight, spending time reading without distraction, and keeping a punctual 10 p.m. bedtime.

But after nearly two years, the pandemic has made all of these wellness tips ring a bit hollow. We are stuck inside, with confusing mask guidances and travel rules, just trying to get through our days safely. It's hard to spend time doing any task without distraction, and keeping a bedtime when every day tends to be the same seems more punishing than positive. And Ina Garten gets that.

"That sounds great but I'm probably not doing any of those things! LOL!!" Garten responded to Witherspoon. "My formula is easier to follow: 1. Drink more large cosmos. 2. Stay up late watching addictive streaming series. 3. Stay in bed in the morning playing Sudoku instead of reading a good book. 4. Spend more time (safely) with people you love. In a pandemic, I do what I can!"

Sure, binging TV and indulging in my favorite cocktail is probably not going to get me featured on any inspirational wellness Instagram accounts, but it would get Ina Garten’s approval! So take a page from her book, and craft yourself a giant Cosmo.

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Opheli Garcia Lawler is a staff writer at Thrillist. Follow her on Twitter @opheligarcia and Instagram @opheligarcia.