How To Take Parental Leave When You're an Entrepreneur.... Or a Workaholic

Nicole Lapin is candid about the difficulties and adjustments she faces during her pregnancy and the anticipated postpartum period.

Nicole is experiencing significant physical discomfort and strain due to being extremely pregnant, including difficulty breathing, pelvic pain, and reflux.

Nicole Lapin, at nine months pregnant, is experiencing a range of physical discomforts typical to the third trimester of pregnancy. She shares that she feels like she's been pregnant for 900 months and is struggling with simple tasks, such as breathing and completing sentences due to how pregnant she is. The compression of her organs has made day-to-day activities such as recording podcasts a challenge. Nicole also mentions that she is dealing with acid reflux, a common complaint during pregnancy. Looking ahead, Nicole is eager to prepare for and adapt to the physical recovery process that will follow after she gives birth.

Nicole is grappling with concerns about maintaining her mental health and identity during the postpartum period.

Nicole holds concerns about her mental health as she en ...

Businesswoman Nicole faces the challenge of maintaining her work-life identity as she navigates the impending changes of becoming a mother for the first time.

Nicole has strongly identified with her work and business as her "first baby", and is concerned about how becoming an actual mother will impact that identity.

Nicole's work has always been a central part of her life, often thinking of it as her first baby. However, the arrival of her actual baby poses a challenge to this identity. Nicole previously housed her business within a dedicated home studio space, which was integral to her work and her sense of self. However, with the baby on the way, this space had to be transformed into a nursery, leading Nicole and her husband, also an entrepreneur who had to shift his workspace to the roof, to reassess their living and working conditions.

The transition prompted her to recognize the importance of setting clear boundaries and separation between work and parenting. This separation was not only physical – finding a new place for her microphone and moving her office to another location – but also mental. She had to realign her perspective on her space, which once served as a "bachelorette palace" where celebrities and shoots were commonplace, to now accommodate the needs of her family.

Nicole acknowledges the challenge of figuring out how to balance her work commitments and roles with the demands of caring for a newborn.

As Nicole approaches motherhood, she grapples with how she'll find the balance between her professional responsibilities and caring for a newborn. She is uncertain about how she will manage the demanding task of attending to her baby's needs while also keeping up with her work commitments.

During this postpartum period, she's open to the possibility that she might need to let go of certain work-related tasks and reduce her workload. Nicole admits that trying to excel in several roles simultaneously ...

Nicole Lapin is gearing up for maternity leave, and together with her co-host, Jason Pfeiffer, they explore strategies to manage work responsibilities during this significant period of personal change.

Nicole's co-host Jason shares his own experiences and insights about taking paternity leave, and how he and his wife handled it differently.

Jason Pfeiffer used his paternity leave not for a complete break, but to work on side projects like a solo podcast, while his wife took the opportunity to fully disengage and recharge. The differing approaches underscore that there is no one-size-fits-all solution; each individual must figure out what balance of work and family life suits them best. He’s curious to see how Nicole will navigate her maternity leave given the nature of her work as an entrepreneur.

Nicole acknowledges that she may not be able to fully step away from her work duties during her maternity leave.

Nicole Lapin expects that some level of work involvement will continue during her maternity leave. As an entrepreneur, she's concerned about the financial implications of not working and the impact on her mental health postpartum. Nicole is mindful of the challenges ahead, such as managing her own basic needs alongside caring for a newborn, while still maintaining her business.

She is considering proactive measures to prevent postpartum depression and an ...

Jason Pfeiffer emphasizes the importance of having a sense of identity that transcends work roles, advocating for a personal mission statement approach. Nicole reflects on her own journey in redefining her identity.

Jason shares a powerful exercise he has used to help people define a personal mission statement that goes beyond just their work or job title.

Jason recommends developing a personal mission statement as a means to maintain a stable sense of self in the face of life changes. He advises people to identify an "I" statement that encapsulates their core purpose and values, rather than the roles they fill.

The exercise encourages people to identify an "I" statement that captures their core purpose and values, rather than just the roles they occupy.

He describes an exercise used during keynotes, where he walks people through crafting a mission statement. He points out the risk of tying identities too closely to our roles or tasks because they can change, leaving our identities vulnerable.

Jason explains how this can provide a stronger, more adaptable sense of identity that is not as easily shaken by changes in one's work or life circumstances.

Jason illustrates the difference between saying "I am a magazine editor" and "I tell stories in my own voice," demonstrating that the latter can withstand the loss of a job. He tells of a woman who transitioned from running her consultancy to being a stay-at-home mom and how her mission statement of "I help people become the best versions of themselves" remained relevant in both phases of her life.

Nicole reflects on how she has previously done similar identity-defining exercises, especially in anticipation of potentially not having children.

Nicole, drawing from her experiences, empathizes with the need to have a strong identity that goes beyond life roles. Although specific experiences were not detailed in the content provided, it im ...