Melissa NicholsoN INTRO

MELISSA NICHOLSON: But I couldn’t let this challenge end without adding a special bonus—a little something extra to give you clarity and momentum for 2025. Today, we’re diving into two incredible tools: the Japanese philosophy of Ikigai and the powerful, life-changing practice of job sharing.

Introduction

INTRO: Welcome to Job Share Revolution. The show about job sharing—a partnership between two people to bring two minds and skill sets to one full-time position. I’m Melissa Nicholson, former job sharer turned founder of the first U.S. job share company. But it wasn’t long ago that I felt like an utter failure at work and as a new parent. Job sharing was my game-changer. I reclaimed four days a week to fully engage in my life while my capable partner handled everything. Together, we achieved more than I ever could solo. Fast forward to many lessons learned to bring you the training and support I wish I’d had to change lives and the modern-day workplace. Let’s live life and slay work.

Melissa NICHOLSON

MELISSA NICHOLSON: I had to hop in here real quick. You may have noticed that we took a break last week. My friend, I got Covid. It finally got me, and I took a break. I took a break to rest, heal up, and come back better. It actually spurred on a really incredible episode. I hope you’ll listen to this next week too.  But we are back for the very final day of our Be Your Best Self in 2025 Challenge. I just want to say I hope one week off didn’t throw you, but I hope it really helped you wrap your head around how to manifest the changes that you want in your life this year. Okay, let’s get to the episode. 

Hey there, it’s your friend Mel! Welcome back to Jobshare Revolution podcast! I am so glad that you are joining me on the show today. I want to take a moment to congratulate you! You have officially made it to the last day of our Be Your Best Self in 2025 Challenge. You showed up! You are here! And I could not be happier to sing your praises because you’ve already done something few will. Research shows that the vast majority of people abandon their New Year’s resolutions by mid-February. Whether it’s due to post-holiday hangover, lack of motivation, or planning—whatever. But not you. Not you. We are doing this whole thing differently, friend (just like I did in my career with job sharing with a partner for years too) and that is A-OK. I have never been one to go with the crowd. And who wants to join the balls to the walls achieve at all cost rat race? Not me. Not me. In fact, I think slowing down to do it all intentionally is actually how you hack happiness and growth in your personal and professional life. So I am just so grateful that you have trusted this process and trusted me, quite frankly, to join me for our Be Your Best Self Challenge! I truly believe this will pay off for you!

Today is the final episode of our Be Your Best Self in 2025 Challenge! First, can we just take a moment to celebrate all that you’ve accomplished? Over the past six episodes, you’ve reflected deeply, you have set meaningful intentions and created a roadmap to step into the best version of yourself this year. That’s no small feat, friend. So bravo, bravo to you! 

But I couldn’t let this challenge end without adding a special bonus—a little something extra to give you clarity and momentum for 2025. Today, we’re diving into two incredible tools: the Japanese philosophy of Ikigai and the powerful, life-changing practice of job sharing.

You knew that I had to bring in job sharing somehow because damn, it’s so life-changing. And this is about living your best life, being your best self. 

Let’s start with Ikigai. If you have never heard of it, Ikigai is a Japanese philosophy for finding meaning and purpose in your life. It’s about discovering the sweet spot where your passions, talents, and the needs of the world intersect with what you can be paid for.

Think of it like this:

• What you love: These are your passions, the things that light you up and bring you joy.
• What you’re good at: These are your skills and talents, the things you excel at.
• What the world needs: This is how you can contribute to making the world a better place.
• What you can be paid for: This is your profession, the work that sustains you financially.

When you align these four areas—what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for— you step into your Ikigai, the essence of a fulfilling career and a meaningful life.

Here’s an example from my own life: When I first discovered job sharing, it was like finding my Ikigai. It allowed me to do work I was passionate about. I was able to use my unique skills, contribute to my family’s well-being, and still have the flexibility I needed to balance work and life. That’s the kind of clarity Ikigai can bring.

It’s no different with Work Muse. I think it’s safe to say, that Ikigai is kind of a way of life for me. I love helping people live their best lives. I’m creative and I’m a social justice girl at heart. I am driven by changing the equation for women and other underrepresented folks at work. Leveling the playing field. Job sharing opens up a whole world of possibilities for inclusive workplaces not just for people of all ages, gender identities, and cultural backgrounds, but for the disabled community and those who suffer chronic illnesses or other illnesses. And I’m a people person. I love people. I’m good at talking. I’m good at teaching, and seeing people, and I’m a helper.

Right now, the world needs to slow the hell down. AI might be jettisoning things but we are humans. The world needs happier people who are able to hit the pause for just a second to unplug and truly enjoy their families, and their friends, and lean into their career potential. It needs people who are turned on by their work and find joy and purpose in that work. And hopefully, my bet on this whole thing will pay off to see job sharing lift off and change the face of work in the U.S. and worldwide in my lifetime after five decades of it being in existence.

Now it’s your turn! Grab your workbook, check out the chart on page 16, and complete the Ikigai exercise on page 17. Whether you are considering a career change or just looking to realign your current role with what lights you up, this is a powerful tool for self-discovery. 

Give yourself the gift of a non-self-judgment zone and time to do this exercise. It may just change your life. Set the timer on your phone for 20 minutes to brainstorm. I want you to write down whatever comes to your mind first. There is a whole page for each column! What do you love? What are good at? There are so many things that you are good at. What does the world need most? And what can you be paid for? It’s a brain dump. Put it out there. Write it down. Now hit that last column. What careers are at the intersection of those 4 things: what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for? Take some time with this. Get creative. I can’t wait to hear what career options show up for you when you do this simple exercise. Howard Thurman said, “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” 2025 is your year to come alive, friend!

I first learned the concept of Ikigai from Dan Buettner, the explorer, author, and National Geographic Fellow who studied longevity in collaboration with the National Geographic Society. His research identified places where people live the longest and healthiest lives, well into their hundreds—the “blue zones”. 

Several years back, my ears perked up big time when I heard Dan cite the number one factor for happiness at work because it was like he had a window into my job share life. The best thing about it. It wasn’t the flexibility, time, or anything you would naturally think of. Unbelievably, the research proved that beyond how much you make or even your relationship with your boss, it’s having a best friend at work, a work bestie, your work BFF that is the most important factor for happiness at work. AKA a job share partner. Hello! I know this first-hand. Having a best friend at work, it did make me more productive and satisfied. There is simply nothing as deeply satisfying as sharing your job.  Your job share partner is in it with you, to share the wins and the losses with, to learn from, and to become better with. The person who has your back in work and life no matter what. It is different from any relationship I have ever come across. It’s equal parts professional and personal. It is not like your husband, it’s not like a partner, a life partner. And it’s not like a co-worker. It is something in between unique, and special.

So let’s talk about job sharing—one of the most innovative and rewarding ways to create true work-life balance. If you’ve been listening to this podcast for a while, you know how much I believe in this practice. My God, it is my life’s work. But for those who are new, here’s a quick Job Share 101:

Job sharing is a partnership between two individuals who share the responsibilities of one full-time role. It’s a win-win-win for work-life-self:

• Employees get the flexibility to work part-time without sacrificing meaningful, high-impact work.
• Companies get full-time coverage and the power of two minds working together.
• And families benefit from more time and presence.

Here are six things job sharing means you can do:

1. Leave work at work—truly unplug and recharge.
2. Set clear boundaries and have them respected.
3. Achieve better results by leveraging complementary skills.
4. Share the mental load with a partner at work, creating more mental space at home.
5. Enjoy equality in caregiving and household responsibilities. Job sharing at work leads to job sharing at home. Trust me, I’ve seen this one first-hand.
6. And perhaps the most rewarding: building a meaningful partnership with your job share partner—a true work BFF.

• Even if you already work flexibly, job sharing can take your work-life balance to the next level. If you’re curious about how to get started, head to workmuse.com/guide—I’ll put it in the show notes too—and grab our guide to job sharing.

Alright, it’s time to take action! Here’s what I want you to do:

1. Complete the Ikigai exercise in your workbook (grab it at workmuse.com/bestself) and identify the career possibilities at the intersection of your passions, skills, the world’s needs, and what you can be paid for.
2. Reflect on how job sharing might fit into your vision for 2025. What are your takeaways from today’s episode?
3. Share your insights in our Job Share, Live Life + Slay Work Facebook community, shoot me a DM on LinkedIn, or text me directly right from your podcast app at the bottom of the episode description!  I’d love to hear what your Ikigai revealed or how you see job sharing supporting your goals this year.

Remember, even if you’re not planning a career change, the Ikigai exercise can help you rediscover what lights you up in your current role and how to lean into that while delegating what doesn’t bring you joy. 

My friend, thank you for joining me on this journey. The Be Your Best Self in 2025 Challenge has been such an incredible experience, and I hope you’re feeling inspired, motivated, and ready to take on the year ahead. If you’ve noticed during this entire challenge, we’ve gone broad in order to get really granular for what you want in your life this year. And the biggest takeaway is that actions will only be carried by the belief that you have in yourself. Who you are going to be in 2025.

As we wrap up, I want to leave you with this: 2025 is yours for the taking. Whether you’re building new habits, manifesting your dreams, or exploring your Ikigai, you have everything you need to create a life that feels meaningful, joyful, and aligned with who you want to be.

If this challenge has resonated with you, can you do me a favor and share it with a friend? It would just mean so much to me. Please share your journey with us in the Facebook group or on social media. And if you are ready to dive deeper into job sharing, head over to workmuse.com for more resources and support.

Before we end our time together today, I want to congratulate you. It’s mid-February. I know! How did that happen so fast? And unlike 80% of people who’ve given up on their resolutions by now, you have not. In fact, you didn’t buy into that win-at-all-costs crush-it mentality on January 1st. Instead, you took your time. You trusted yourself. You put in the personal work to see the fruits of your labor and all of its gifts show up in your life this year because of it, no matter what happens in the world that is outside of your control.

Your destiny is up to you. 2025 is your year, friend, and I have no doubt that you will bring the very best version of yourself to it. Until next time, keep dreaming big, taking action, and showing up for yourself. Remember, you become what you believe. It’s all in you.