Why do we care so much what the rich and powerful do, when we know their lives barely resemble those of us mere mortals? Comedian Maria Bamford explains this phenomenon best in a standup routine she recorded for her album Ask Me About My New God! Basically, and we’re paraphrasing, she says we want to know what the most influential celebs are doing because, from an evolutionary standpoint, “They know where all the bananas are.” The ladies on this list most certainly do know where the bananas are, they’ve worked hard to find them, collect them and multiply them in ways our primitive banana-hoarding predecessors could never have imagined. Here, we uncover a few surprising behaviors that have helped these women rise to the top (and stay there!).
Wake Up Without An Alarm
Oprah never sets an alarm. "I don't believe in them," she has said. "They are ... alarming! I put the number in my mind and I wake up before that, usually between 6:02 and 6:20, because the dogs are trained to go out around that time."
Leave Work At 5:30pm Sharp
Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg doesn't burn the midnight oil, at least not from the office. The Lean In author arrives at 7am and leaves at 5:30pm on the dot. Before her husband's death, the family would eat dinner together every evening, and it's a tradition she continues today with her children.
Drink 4 Cocktails
91-year-old Queen Elizabeth has a gin and Dubonnet before her midday meal, enjoys a glass of wine and a gin martini at lunch and then finishes her day with a champagne nightcap.
Read BuzzFeed
Honest Company cofounder Jessica Alba's morning reading list may surprise you. "I take time to look at the CNN, Wall Street Journal and New York Times apps … and BuzzFeed," she has said.
Play Tennis At 5:45am
Anna Wintour is no slouch—that, we already know; however, one of her daily rituals is extra, even for her. The Vogue EIC plays tennis every day at 5:45am.
Do The NYT Crossword Puzzle Before Coffee
Martha wakes up with the sun around 5am and does the New York Times crossword puzzle before so much as having a sip of coffee. It's the mini puzzle, but still.
Work Out For 2 Hours
Gwyneth Paltrow does the Tracy Anderson Method every day from 10am to noon.
Get Dressed From The Shoes Up
Former Lucky EIC and current director of fashion partnerships at Instagram Eva Chen starts each day's outfit below her ankles.
