Huffington says phone-free bedroom marks her workday's end

Arianna Huffington says she does not rely on the idea of work-life balance, even as she runs a wellness company built around healthier habits. In an interview with Fortune, the Huffington Post founder said her main daily cutoff is physical: she charges her phone outside her bedroom before sleep.

Huffington told Fortune that she dislikes the word “balance” because work and home demands do not divide neatly. Some days, she said, a job takes over; on others, family needs such as a sick child become the priority.

Fortune reported that Huffington built the Huffington Post during years of 18-hour workdays and at one point collapsed from exhaustion. She later sold the company to AOL for $315 million in 2011 and now leads Thrive Global, a wellness startup.

A nightly rule for ending the day

Huffington, now 75, told Fortune she still works long days and does not see a fixed finish line for people with demanding jobs. She said there may be unfinished tasks left for the next morning, and work can run into the evening.

Her boundary, she told Fortune, is not tied to a specific hour. Instead, she treats the act of putting her phone on a charger outside the bedroom as the signal that the workday is over.

Huffington said the phone carries emails, projects, problems and other sources of stress, so keeping it away from the bed helps her prepare for sleep. She described the habit as a clear separation from work rather than a broader claim that every part of life can be kept in balance.

At Thrive Global, Fortune reported, the practice is part of what the company calls “micro steps”: small routines meant to be repeated without requiring a full lifestyle overhaul. The company has also made small charging stations designed to look like beds, including a blanket, to reinforce the habit.

Ralph Lauren executive adopts the habit

Huffington told Fortune that the phone routine has also been picked up by a Ralph Lauren executive. Thrive Global has worked with Ralph Lauren for five years, according to Fortune.

Huffington said that during an event with Ralph Lauren’s chief human resources officer, the executive described the phone practice as her most important micro step. Fortune reported that Huffington did not name the executive; the magazine noted that Roseann Lynch is Ralph Lauren’s chief people officer and said it contacted the company for comment.

Huffington also told Fortune the phone boundary matters for children and teenagers because they learn technology habits from adults. Her message to parents, as described by Fortune, is that children should see that phones do not belong in bed overnight.

The same rule affects mornings, Fortune reported. If the phone is outside the room, it is harder to begin the day by immediately checking email, news or social media.

Huffington told Fortune she recommends waiting 60 seconds after waking before picking up the phone. She said people can use that minute for conscious breathing, setting intentions for the day and thinking about what they are grateful for.

This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.