The Work-Life Equation Bright Horizons Family Solutions

Chief Diversity Officer and author Mita Mallick gets candid about the myths and biases holding back working parents in today's workplaces. Drawing from her bestselling book "Reimagine" and years of leadership experience, Mita debunks the notion that extended maternity leave alone supports women, emphasizing the need to transform mindsets around involved fatherhood too. She shares powerful stories navigating the "motherhood penalty" in her own career after having children, from being asked "who's watching your kids?" to having her performance rating docked while on parental leave. Mita calls out the importance of proactive management training to interrupt biases and advocates for true paid parental leave, not just maternity policies. This engaging conversation covers making workplaces more inclusive for the "sandwich generation," the power of employee resource groups, and Mita's empowering advice for working mothers. Her insights illuminate the path toward integrating, not balancing, work and life.

In this candid conversation, working moms Casandra Williams and Aurore Joshi open up about the challenges and joys of navigating careers while juggling caregiving responsibilities. Casandra, a first-generation college graduate and mother to a 2-year-old, shares her strategies for effective co-parenting and staying organized. Aurore provides a moving account of her 20-year journey as the "sandwich generation" caregiver – supporting her ailing single mother for 11 years, and then her father's declining health shortly after the birth of her first child. The two mothers offer invaluable insights on mindfulness, prioritizing self-care, finding moments of joy amidst hardship, and giving oneself grace during life's intense seasons. They discuss the importance of supportive managers, affordable backup care, and building a nurturing "village." With refreshing vulnerability, Casandra and Aurore emphasize the lessons of gratitude, self-love and acceptance that their caregiving journeys have taught them. This powerful episode illuminates the daily struggles and resilience of modern working parents striving to find harmony across work and life.

On this episode Priya and Paul are joined by Dr. Aditi Nerukar, a Harvard physician, nationally recognized stress expert, and author of the book "Rewire Your Brain for Less Stress and More Joy." Dr. Nerukar shares invaluable insights from her years of expertise working with patients on managing stress and burnout. She debunks the myth of multitasking, explaining how our brains are wired for "monotasking" and provides actionable strategies like time blocking to boost productivity. She also offers empowering advice for working mothers navigating the impossible demands placed on them. Whether you're looking to rewire your relationship with stress or simply live with more joy, this candid conversation with the insightful Dr. Nerukar provides a roadmap for lasting change.

DeAnne Aussem, Managing Director and Wellbeing Leader at PwC, shares her inspiring journey as a female executive while navigating work, parenthood, and finding harmony across life's different spheres. DeAnne provides an inside look at PwC's pioneering "Be Well, Work Well" initiative launched in 2017 to prioritize employee wellness across six dimensions: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, financial, and social. DeAnne also opens up about her own experiences as a wife, mother of two, and a caregiver. Her authentic storytelling offers insights into modeling work-life integration, the importance of self-care, and creating truly inclusive cultures where employees can thrive as their whole selves. 

Dr. Ramon Jacobs-Shaw is redefining what it means to be a modern father and healthcare leader. From growing up in rural poverty to achieving dual board certifications in pediatrics and internal medicine at elite institutions, Ramon has been driven by a passion for serving underserved populations like his own Lumbee tribe. He opens up about his roles championing health equity as Chief Clinical Officer at Belong Health and being a "visible dad" modeling engaged fatherhood. Ramon provides an inside look at the pivotal experiences that shaped his holistic perspective on medicine, leadership, LGBTQ+ family building, work-life integration, and bringing diverse voices to the healthcare decision-making table.

In this powerful episode, author Jessica Fein discusses her new memoir, Breath Taking: A Memoir of Family, Dreams, and Broken Genes, which chronicles her family's journey caring for their daughter Dalia, who was diagnosed with a rare degenerative disease at age 5. Jessica opens up about the range of emotions - fear, grief, guilt - that came with being a caregiver while also working full-time and raising her three children. She shares candid insights about navigating relationships, finding support systems, and the judgment she faced for continuing to work while caring for her daughter. Jessica also talks about her advocacy work and her Psychology Today column "Grace and Grief" which explores our society's attitudes towards loss. With remarkable vulnerability, she offers hard-won wisdom on balancing work and life, and what friends and employers can do to truly show up during life's most challenging times.