Getty ImagesMany fantasize about the life of a celebrity, and while it does scream luxury and lavish splurges, there's a lot of work that goes into being able to live that way.
Sure, it's not sitting at a desk eight hours a day and scarfing down some leftover dinner for lunch in 30 minutes, but being a star is still a full-time job. In fact, we'd argue that celebs put more than 40 hours a week into doing what they do in order to live the life that you dream of.
Oh, you don't believe us? OK, let's break it down, shall we?
Time to Wake Up!: Just because you don't have a set schedule each day doesn't mean you get a permanent snooze alarm. Stars get up just as early, if not earlier, to get their day started. For example, Martha Stewart begins her day at 5 a.m. (!) and Kelly Ripa would be up and at 'em by 6 a.m. to get the kids ready before her day even started.
Working on Their Fitness: After getting their mornings situated, a number of stars start their day with a workout. Whether it's with a trainer or going beast mode on their own, stars are constantly making sure they are getting their work out in, because let's be real, looking good is part of the job. Some celebs, like Kim Kardashian, will spend roughly an hour each day. But if it's training for a particular role, it may be even more intense. Like that one time Jake Gyllenhaal spent SIX HOURS A DAY at the gym to get ready for Southpaw.
Grooming: Not every day has to be glam, but with paparazzi constantly snapping shots of you everywhere you go, stars tend to ease more on the side of casual chic than straight-up workout clothes/pajamas, like the rest of us. And guess what? That takes time, too. Kim has once said that when she gets beautified, it takes around an hour and a half for hair and makeup.
Work, Work, Work, Work, Work, Work: Now that the celebs are ready to take the day full-force, there's non-stop work to be had. Whether it's traveling overseas to promote their next project, doing interviews, press events, photo shoots or signing off on multiple ventures, it's no wonder many stars have personal assistants to help keep everything in order. Plus, musicians are hitting the studio or traveling on tour. And actors are on set shooting your favorite TV shows and movies—and that alone is more than an 8-hour day! And even then, some stars still manage to find time in their day to give back.
Food Is Fuel: Hopefully, they can sneak away and get some food, but they can't just find a quick drive-thru and call it a day, because they didn't put in all that work at the gym for nothing. That's when chefs come in handy, and help prepare a healthy and sufficient meal to keep them full and ready to take on the go.
Special Events: Now, take the normal day-to-day festivities and amplify them by 1000 for special events. Take red carpets, for example. Movie premieres, award shows, openings...all of which require intense grooming, fittings beforehand, interviews and photo opps all prior to the actual event itself. And then there's the after-party, which you have to attend to show face, but can sometimes seem like a drag considering your 6 a.m. wake up call.
What have we learned? Being a celebrity can be extremely exciting, but it comes at a price. This is not a 9 to 5, five-days-a-week type of job. This is a 24/7, 365-days-a-year job, with all eyes constantly on their every move, and very little time to just chill, enjoy lazy mornings on the weekends and binge watch their favorite Netflix show (which just seems unfortunate).
So, next time you fantasize about a star's lifestyle, remember that there's still a lot of work and hustle put in to be able to live that kind of life.