We all strive for success, even though what that means for each of us -- how we define success -- is going to be different. But it's also true that all our striving can lead to a perpetually stressed-out, harried existence. According to a global survey by the workplace provider Regus, 53 percent of those polled said they felt closer to being burned out than they were five years ago. We all know that feeling of being stressed out, the feeling that there's not enough time for what we need to do. In fact, there's even a term for it: "time famine." Every time we look at our watches it seems to be later than we think. I personally have always had a very strained relationship with time. Dr. Seuss summed it up beautifully: "How did it get so late so soon?" he wrote. "It's night before it's afternoon. December is here before it's June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?"
Sound familiar? When we're living a life of perpetual time famine, what we're losing isn't more checkmarks on our to-do list. Instead, we're robbing ourselves of our time to recharge, of our creativity, of our ability to experience wonder, our sense of delight in the mysteries of the universe, as well as the everyday occurrences and small miracles that fill our lives. From time to time, we all need to be reminded to stay connected to the essence of who we are, to take care of ourselves along the way, to reach out to others, to pause to wonder, and to put our successes - and our failures -- in perspective.
That's why I'm delighted to announce HuffPost Endeavor, a new section in partnership with Chevy Malibu that's all about that perspective. HuffPost Endeavor will be a place to both celebrate success and redefine it, by reminding ourselves what it really means to live a good life, to place the satisfaction that comes from hard work and accomplishment alongside the joys that come from small moments, pauses and meaningful connections.
For me, Endeavor is a deeply personal mission. Keeping success in perspective hasn't always been one of my strengths. I'm often asked what advice I would give to my younger self if I had the chance. My answer? I wish I could go back and tell myself: "Arianna, your performance will actually improve if you can commit to not only working hard, but also unplugging, recharging and renewing yourself." That would have saved me a lot of unnecessary stress, burnout and exhaustion.
Another question I often get goes something like this: "Arianna, it's great that you take time now to pause, and sleep, and take care of yourself, but would you have been as successful if you did this earlier in your career?" And my answer isn't just a categorical yes -- I also believe that not only would I have achieved whatever I have achieved, but I would have done it with more joy, more vibrancy, and with less of a cost to my health and my relationships.
But even when we realize we need to live our lives with less stress and burnout, it's not always easy to change habits. So HuffPost Endeavor will be a multimedia hub of tips, tools, and stories of people around the world redefining success and taking steps big and small to improve their lives and the lives of those around them. You'll also find a weekly "Daily Inspiration" segment from HuffPost Rise, with host Cat Greenleaf and a roster of influential guests offering quotations and anecdotes that will help you start your day with purpose; and our original documentary series, "Pioneers: Leading the Way to a Less Stressful, More Fulfilling Life," going inside the lives of incredibly successful people in a range of fields who have made it their mission to redefine what fulfillment means to them. We'll start off with three great Pioneers: journalist Soledad O'Brien, hip hop mogul Russell Simmons and former NFL player Keith Mitchell.
We've also curated stories and videos, from the inspiring to the practical, at the intersection of professional success and personal fulfillment. There's Cat Greenleaf on how to rid your life of FOMO, Damon Beres on the perks of turning off your phone notifications, tips on how to make your work day less stressful and more productive, and CEOs from Russell Simmons to Bill George on the daily habit at the core of their success.
So welcome to HuffPost Endeavor. And as always, use the comments section to let us know what you think.