Posted by The ASTD International Conference &Exposition 2014 had the audiences enthralled with Arianna Huffington speaking about things that matter beyond money and power in her keynote address. Arianna Huffington is the chair, president, and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post Media Group, a nationally syndicated columnist, and author of fourteen books. In May 2005, she launched The Huffington Post, a news and blog site that quickly became one of the most widely-read, linked to, and frequently-cited media brands on the Internet. In 2012, the site won a Pulitzer Prize for national reporting. Her latest book was published this year, and it is called Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder.
Here are a few excerpts from her keynote address at the conference:
- “Get more sleep”, is what she advises while speaking about how to succeed. “Get your own house in order. Sleep. Times of reflections. Healthy choices. It’s more than just power & money”.
- Ms. Huffington urged the audience to disengage themselves from the 24/7 “on” schedules that their bodies have been subjected to, that leave us stressed, agitated, fearful, exhausted and ill.
- Reiterating the inimical effects that over-exposure to mobile phones causes, she reminded the listeners how they treated their cell phones like Gods while ignoring the health of their minds, bodies and spirits. “Make it a point each day to shut off the phone completely, and don’t check it. Tell your colleagues that you won’t be working on your phone after 9pm, and adhere to this rule as a non-negotiable. Additionally, make your bedroom a device-free zone. Stop the insanity”, said Ms. Huffington in her usual candid straightforward manner.
- On speaking about multi-tasking, something that people generally do to manage things in time-starved schedules these days; she explained that there was no such thing as multi-tasking. Rather, it is just task-switching that we construe to be multi tasking; one of the most stressful things that one could do.
The Origin Learning team present at ASTD 2014 considers itself fortunate to have gained from the practical tips given by Ms. Arianna Huffington that will make more creative, effective and efficient people out of us.