Arianna Huffington is by far one of the most successful women in new media today. As president and editor-in-chief of Huffington Post Media Group she is the figurehead of one of the most popular websites on the Internet. The whole Internet. This woman knows business, and therefore knows stress in fact four and a half years ago Arianna fainted from exhaustion, broke her cheek bone and wound up with stitches around her eye. Since then Arianna has revolutionized herself and her company by focusing on helping people “de-stress” to that point she has a new app called “GPS for the soul”.
You can create your own “guide” or use Arianna’s or Dr. Oz’s. It allows you to focus on things you find calming or that embody “love” for you. It also has a little graphic that moves up and down so you can slow and match your breathing with it. As someone who is riddled with anxiety and stress I really enjoyed this app, but even more so I enjoy Arianna.
Mashable did an interview Arianna recently in which she stated that she doesn’t want her employees to return her emails at night or on weekends. The President of a huge company says doesn’t want you to respond to her emails. Can you imagine that? Especially someone in new media and entertainment…for goodness sake the woman runs a news website! News doesn’t stop! But Arianna wants her employees to stop, to de-stress, the woman is a nap pusher. I’m fortunate enough to have some insider info at Huffington Post and I have yet to hear anyone complain about Arianna (another amazing feat).
A few weeks ago I was speaking with someone from Huffpo and they were telling me all about how excited Arianna can get when you tell her you’ve napped that day. She’s big on getting enough rest. If you check out her twitter feed there are pictures of staffers napping on election night and her tag is always to the “good for you!” type of comment.
Working for one of the largest studios in the country I was blown away by this. At my work you come in no matter what. You work through sickness, you respond to every email, and you don’t complain about it because no one wants to hear it, if you’re not out till 1 in the morning with your boss at in the office at 9 you’re shunned and bullied, you are not part of the group. It’s refreshing to know that there are still people in power, who are insanely successful and haven’t turned into complete human-waste-holes.
Arianna Huffington is an incredible icon for women. She is a woman that has lifted herself to amazing heights, raised a family, looks fabulous and hasn’t let any of that rob her of her humanity. She is a study in success and feminism. I decree Arianna Huffington as my new feminist icon. Forget Rosie Riveter put Arianna on my poster!
