Gwyneth Paltrow’s Time-Saving Tips for Moms!

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Every working mother — including Gwyneth Paltrow — struggles to find a balance between having a career and being a mom.

From taking your to tots to school and running to meetings to prepping for dinner and working from home, it’s hard to find time to do it all.

In a recent issue of her GOOP newsletter, the Country Strong star describes in detail what a day in her life (hair-washing night, anyone?) looks like.

Plus, she shares some of her top time-saving tips.

Check them out below:

Schedule your time well. “When I know what I am doing from hour to hour I get more done. Write it all in the day’s calendar; what you want to accomplish and in what time frame.”

Plan meals ahead of time. “I cook a lot, especially on the weekends, so I like to plan a rough menu for the whole weekend and get the food in on Friday. Obviously stores and websites that deliver make this a dream. In London, I use Ocado. Also James Knight, my favorite fishmonger, will deliver. Having all of the ingredients means I’m prepared even when I don’t think I am.”

Capitalize on children’s sleeptime. “I always lay the kids uniforms and school things out the night before once they are asleep. When it’s quiet, I can check the “kid list” for show and [go through] items to bring in, consent forms, ballet kit, etc, so that the morning is less of a scramble.”

Touch base while on-the-go. “The school run is a great time to return calls (in whichever direction that the kids are not in the car) so don’t forget your hands-free device.”

Comments

Jacqui on January 14th, 2011

I love GP and I subscribe to GOOP and thoroughly enjoy it. But, I have to admit, Michael K’s take on her time saving tips was hilarious.

Olivia on January 14th, 2011

Darn it, my favorite fishmonger doesn’t deliver. How ever will I survive?

tink1217 on January 14th, 2011

why does this strike me as being slightly pretentious? She has always rubbed me that way though. Cute kids anyway.

TM on January 14th, 2011

All of this advice really seems like common sense to me!

Tess on January 14th, 2011

Olivia – great comment.

What does a day in her life (hair washing night) mean??

Indira on January 14th, 2011

Her newsletter was on dlisted and it made me laugh. She got her kids dressed for school, worked out, conditioned her hair, tried on dresses “until she got B.O”, took some business calls, baked some cupcakes, had dinner and went out with her friends. I don’t understand why she tries to give advice like she’s every-woman. There are other moms who give a run-down of their days and, stella mcartney’s seems truly exhausting!

http://dlisted.com/node/40397

Annie on January 14th, 2011

I read and enjoy GOOP but I was rather put off by a lot of the “tips.” There were gaps in the days that didn’t make sense yet they never come out and say their nanny takes care of something (like when she puts her kids to bed and goes out for the evening, it almost sounds like she’s left them home alone) – which is fine, just cop to it. Most moms who work outside the home as well don’t work jobs where they can come and go as they please or take meetings in cars. Also, a lot of the tips only work if you are wealthy and can afford them. Lastly, she oddly never mentions her husband in her entire day.

lola on January 14th, 2011

Annie, you are right, she NEVER mentions her husband! I think they are secretly separated…

Lola on January 14th, 2011

she’s just silly. please save your tips little lady.

Tiffy R on January 14th, 2011

Um… What if I don’t have a fishmonger? Unless the guy at the Ralphs fish and meat section counts. Pretty sure he won’t deliver to my house though!

Olivia on January 14th, 2011

Indira, don’t forget she got her kids dressed, fed (and did the cooking), toys for donations, gifts decorated and drove them to school within 20 min. She really is super mom!

mari on January 14th, 2011

laughable!

Georgina on January 14th, 2011

I only read a small part of it in a tabloid, and Im so glad Im not the only one who thought she was talking utter tosh!

I mean who wakes up one child, gives them breakfast and puts on their school uniform, and then reaslised they have a second child who isn’t up and hasn’t eaten? AND then she manages to get him up, dressed, cooked breakfast in 20 mins. All the while child number one is doing what?

I really wish she’d just say, “I live a really privilaged life and Im grateful for it” and just stop pretending! Utterly annoying woman!

Sadie on January 14th, 2011

It’s hilarious that she has four nannies but acts likes she does it all own her own!

rb on January 14th, 2011

I am actually surprised.

Suprised that she didn;t mention that she “invented” being a SAHM. She is obnoxious.

Lisa on January 14th, 2011

I don’t think she realizes how utterly foolish she sounds. Shadow a ‘typical’ mom for a day Gwyneth, then you might just have a clue.

Brooke on January 14th, 2011

I truly believe that Gwyneth thinks that her day is typical (What – all of you don’t have nannies or maids) and she ignores the riff-raff because she has never experienced a real life.

What she described as her normal, busy day was a complete joke.

Jacqui on January 14th, 2011

Seriously, those of you who are disgusted by GP and her advice, please as I already mentioned and Indira provided the link, read the dlisted take on this. It will make you laugh your booty off! Warning: dlisted can be rather vulgar. But FUNNY!

Nella on January 14th, 2011

You know I completely understand that celebs tend to have luxuries and a comfortable life for most part, but what I absolutely can’t stand is when celebs won’t admit that and be honest with themselves as well as others. Most working mothers struggle to put food on the table, find time to spend with their children, pay the bills, and remain sane through it all so they don’t have time to plan each day and make lists that don’t seem quite realistic for us regular folks. It’s great that Gwyneth says she cooks, and spends time with her kids, but it would be really refreshing of her if she admits that she gets help which is okay if you can afford it. I don’t think Gwyneth ever had a normal life since she seems out of touch with reality a bit and that’s okay just be honest about it.

soph on January 14th, 2011

TM: Yeah, exactly, yet Gwyneth seems to think she is doing us all a favor with her little newsletters. I like her, but she needs to give it a rest…

Heather on January 14th, 2011

So I opened that GOOP newsletter and started reading…. holy crow these women are NOT AVERAGE MOTHERS. Juliet de Baubigny “curates her social media”?! What the hell does that even mean?

Here’s a day in the life of Heather:

Get up as late as possible so I can sleep in as much as possible
Rush around getting the kids up and dressed (the sitter can feed them)
Shlep them off to daycare
Make it to work for 8
Work all day
Pick the kids up by 5:30
Go to the gym
Cook dinner, feed the kids and put them to bed
Park my ass in front of the TV and don’t move until bedtime.

How many of YOU have a day that looks like mine? lol I might bake cupcakes on weekends…. but that’s when my cleaning gets done! That’s also when I clean my house and do my laundry and my grocery shopping etc. These silly celebrities always make me laugh with their “Look at me I’m JUST LIKE YOU!” interviews. tee heee

Jennifer on January 14th, 2011

I really can’t understand this hatred between the “haves” and the “have nots”. She’s a mom. She deals with poop, boogers, spilled milk and bath time. Who are any of you to judge her? I get this newsletter and when I read it this morning it did not seem at all pretentious. She lives a life that most of us don’t but does that make her any less of a mother. She mentioned she laid out her children’s clothing the night before – is that so out of touch. Loved the mom who gave the tip about the oatmeal. That’s a great idea. Geez it’s oatmeal, not eggs benedict. I really think you all are getting worked up over nothing.

SY on January 14th, 2011

Did anyone read the Time Magazine article about GP? They basically state that while she could be America’s Sweetheart in the genre of Julia Roberts and Sandra Bullock, there has been so much backlash about her that she is basically ruining her career. They pretty much slammed her — not just her movie, sound like it’s the truth tho.

Anonymous on January 15th, 2011

how many times did this juliet woman say the word “key”? ahhhhhhhhhhhh i hate pretentious asswipes!!! buuuuuuuuut……..i love gwynth. she’s funny

Hailey on January 15th, 2011

The issue I find in reading her newsletter, especially this one is she fails to mention any kind of domestic help/nannies regarding her children. She portrays this one women team as if she is doing it all on her own. No, she is not any less of mother than the next but definitely a lot less hands on than she would like to admit.

IMO on January 15th, 2011

Thanks for the link…..I read the looooong one. What an odd dinner. Brown rice stir fry and a side of sweet potato….and a sugary cupcake. Oh and she ran off and left her kids alone! Haha! Way to leave a LOT out…….some celebs pretend to do it all and pretend to be on the same level as the rest of us. They annoys the crap out of me. Thumbs down GP!

Olivia, too funny!

Nella, agree! It is a pet peeve when they leave out the help piece. Just admit it. Who cares…..unless they have something to hide. Kate Gosselin is known to pretend to “do it all” and play the poor me card, but has a nanny or two.

Jennifer, who are you then to judge the posters for their opinions? I think you are the one getting a little worked up.

Indira on January 15th, 2011

I think the source of irritation for a lot of these moms is the fact that, this “have” is giving the “have nots” advice; as if it’s these tips that make her life easier and not the amount of free time she has and the staff of people that enable her to have such a cohesive life. She’s not running her enterprise by herself and she’s not running her household by herself either.

My friend and I were discussing this article at dinner. We are both in our early 20s and childless. Our issue with this newsletter was how condescending/delusional she comes off. As if she’s an average woman who wished for more hours in the day. When, what she described is a dream day for a lot of mothers rich or poor! We sat at dinner last night laughing at her! I can assure you also that, this wasn’t jealousy of two have-nots.

I’m sorry Ms. Paltrow but most of us will never use the services of Mr. James Knight–the official fishmonger to the Queen of England!

Holly on January 15th, 2011

She’s clueless!!!!!!!!!

Shannon on January 15th, 2011

Who does she think she’s fooling? I don’t understand why she can’t be honest about her life. I guess she’s trying to relate but it doesn’t work. She’d be better off Taking a cue from her pal Madonna and not saying anything at all.

Terri on January 16th, 2011

I guess I’m alone in not understanding all the nastiness directed at this woman. Moving right along…

Alice on January 16th, 2011

I quite like her, but really, returning calls in the car? Either she has a driver, in which case she can’t expect non-celeb moms to follow her ‘tip’, or she’s doing something dangerous. The reason you shouldn’t be on the phone while driving isn’t so that your hands are free, it’s so that it doesn’t divert your attention.
Won’t comment on the pretentious/obnoxious debate but this one is just common sense.

kd on January 18th, 2011

STOP!!! I love GP. I think she’s smart, elegant and sweet. If you don’t like her, don’t read her newsletter. Pretty simple. For all those who aspire to be better version of themselves, read GOOP.

Selene on January 22nd, 2011

My fishmonger delivers, I live in a typical working class area of Edinburgh. Having that delivery sure helps us once a week, Im sur eit does Gwyneth and Chris too.

She may or may not have a nanny, but are you are saying that if you had millions in the bank and worked long ours you would say no to having even the slightest bit of help?