IHRSA UPDATE “Many political leaders are finally
recognising that the wellbeing of their citizens depends on much more than their country’s quarterly growth rate”
Nap rooms? What’s been the reaction to that? Initially, when we installed them in the spring of 2011, they were met with scepticism and reluctance. Many employees were afraid their colleagues might think they were shirking their duties by taking a nap. We’ve made it very clear, however, that walking around feeling drained and exhausted is what should be looked down on – not taking a break to rest and recharge – and nowadays our nap rooms are full most of the time.
The Huffington Post launched in 2005; Huffington remains president and editor-in-chief
ARIANNA HUFFINGTON IN A NUTSHELL
Arianna Huffington, 64, was born in Athens, Greece, and educated at the University of Cambridge in England. She moved to New York in 1980 and became a naturalised US citizen in 1990. Prior to launching The Huffington Post in May 2005, she had a varied career that encompassed acting, international punditry and, in 2003, a run for governor in California. In 2011, AOL acquired The
Huffington Post for US$315m; Huffington remains the president and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post Media Group. Today, the HuffPost boasts more than 800 editors and reporters worldwide, and 11 global editions, with more to come. In August 2014, the online news site had 115 million unique visitors, making it number one in the US. During her prolific career, Huffington has written 14 books, including her latest, Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well- Being, Wisdom, and Wonder.
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You also make the case that healthy employees contribute to a healthy bottom line. Again, what are you doing at HuffPost to foster health and wellness? Health and wellness is a huge priority for us. In our New York offices, we host meditation, breathing and yoga classes throughout the week, and our new offices in DC have dedicated meditation, yoga and nap rooms. The benefits of standing and walking – as opposed to sitting all day long – have led us to provide a standing desk for anyone who requests one. We also have a gym, and we take part in the Virgin Pulse wellness programme, which allows employees to earn up to US$500 a year by engaging in healthy practices. To facilitate such practices, we stock refrigerators with healthy snacks including yogurt, houmous, fruit and baby carrots. All of these steps are ways we can help minimise the risk of burnout, exhaustion and stress for our employees.
The fitness industry focuses on helping clients improve their health and wellbeing, but many of us are ourselves on that ‘Heart Attack Highway to Stress City’ you mentioned earlier. Any advice
for club owners, operators and other fitness professionals? It’s especially important that people involved in industries related to health and wellbeing take care of themselves. My advice: Take full advantage of your position. You’re on the cutting edge of science and medical research in terms of what it means to live a healthy life, and you’re part of a community that’s committed to wellbeing. At the same time, remember to make time for wellbeing practices and rituals that have nothing at all to do with your career.
Finally, any bright spots that point to a genuinely healthier world in the future? Fortunately, yes. Many political leaders are finally recognising that the wellbeing of their citizens depends on much more than their country’s quarterly growth rate, as important as that may be. This political epiphany could, hopefully, lead to significant policy changes – encompassing everything from family leave to job creation – that would reduce stress and improve overall wellbeing. Let’s hope that happens.
Finally, tell us a bit about your own fitness regimen. Given your packed schedule, how do you stay fit? I have several rituals that help me de-stress and unwind when I’m at home, as well as when I’m travelling. I start every morning with 20 to 30 minutes of meditation and exercise as often as I can. My favourite workout is a long hike in good company. I have a group of friends with whom I hike, and it’s our tradition that whoever is feeling the most energised that day has to talk on the way up the hill we’re climbing. The rest talk on the way down. Let’s just say I’m pretty well known as a consistent downhill talker. ●
This feature first appeared in the December 2014 edition of Club Business International (CBI), IHRSA’s magazine for the health and fitness industry.
Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital
Health Club Management is IHRSA’s European Strategic Media Partner
January 2015 © Cybertrek 2015
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