Steven Bartlett has been criticised by fellow celebrities for promoting the 'optimisation' movement after claiming two glasses of wine 'ruined his life for three days.' The Dragon's Den star, 33, made the remark on his Diary of a CEO podcast, sparking a debate about the trend of using data and technology to maximise health and productivity.
Bartlett detailed how the wine disrupted his sleep, diet, and gym routine, which he tracked on his Whoop device. BBC Radio 1 presenter Greg James led the backlash, urging followers to join his 'anti-optimisation/Bartlett cult.' James argued that constant monitoring can make people miserable and that it's possible to have both ambitions and fun.
Other celebrities echoed James's sentiments. Singer Paloma Faith questioned if success requires being a 'nit picking, hyper critical psychopath,' while Fearne Cotton joked she sometimes podcasts better with a hangover. DJ Yasmin Evans called it 'optimising a life that you're not living.' Rapper Example said he prefers to 'live in the moment.'
TV presenter Laura Jackson warned that people are so busy tracking life they forget to live it, noting that the best memories often look terrible on a fitness tracker. Julia Bradbury, who has had cancer, agreed that progress is more important than perfection and that fun matters.
