Mona, Minali and Ishana dive deep into the evolving landscape of remote work, from frontline healthcare realities and hybrid flexibility to executive insights on shifting corporate cultures. As they share personal stories of transitioning careers, managing boundaries, and adapting workspaces, the conversation highlights the profound impact of remote work on productivity, mental health, and human connection. Whether you’re navigating your first job, managing a team, or redefining your work-life balance, this episode offers practical tips and powerful reflections on how and where we work and why it matters now more than ever.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) – Entering a Hybrid Role

(01:30) – How the Pandemic Shifted Remote Work

(03:50) – Generational Perspectives on Remote Work

(06:30) – Hidden Costs of Flexibility

(07:55) – The Social Challenge of Remote-Only Work

(11:00) – Trade-offs Between Productivity and Office Culture

(13:30) – Workplace Anxiety Around In-Person Expectations

(17:15) – Burnout, PTO Policies, and The Importance of Boundaries

(20:00) – Sweatpants or Suits?

(21:30) – WFH Workspace Setup Tips

Key Topics Discussed:

Three Takes, Ishana Nigam, Minali Nigam, Mona Nigam, generational advice, remote work flexibility, hybrid work model, work from home tips, career transitions post-pandemic, setting work boundaries

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Mona, Minali and Ishana open their hearts to explore the complex emotions and life-changing lessons that come with leaving home. From Mona’s courageous leap across continents at 21 to Minali’s and Ishana’s personal journeys through college, careers, and independence, this conversation unpacks the raw truth of distance, growth, loneliness, and love. With stories full of laughter, tears, and wisdom, they reflect on what it really means to build a life away from the familiar, and how “home” is less about geography and more about connection, memory, and the people we carry with us.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - Moving to the U.S. after marriage

(03:00) - Coping with loneliness and adjustment

(05:20) - The value of handwritten letters

(08:10) - Choosing independence for personal growth

(13:20) - Emotional challenges of living alone

(18:40) - Future hopes of moving back home

(20:00) - Gratitude, presence, and shifting priorities

(22:10) - Sacrifices made for opportunity

(25:30) - Embracing growth without regret

Key Topics Discussed:

Three Takes, Ishana Nigam, Minali Nigam, Mona Nigam, generational advice, leaving home stories, immigrant family experiences, mother-daughter conversations, emotional growth through distance, redefining the meaning of home

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What makes a friendship truly stand the test of time? Ishana, Minali, and Mona explore the meaning, evolution, and emotional depth of long-lasting friendships. From stories of community-building among Indian immigrants to navigating friendship challenges in different life stages, this episode offers rich insights into the beauty and complexity of human connection. Whether you’re nurturing old bonds, letting go of fading ties, or learning to build new relationships, you’ll find wisdom, laughter, and truth in this candid dialogue. Discover how trust, presence, and mutual respect shape friendships that last through every reason, season, and lifetime.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - Nurturing friendships through busy life phases

(04:00) - Different types of friendships and evolving needs

(12:00) - Friendship challenges in your twenties

(16:00) - Redefining wedding roles through friendships

(17:00) - Knowing when to let go of a friendship

(22:00) - Litmus tests for true friendship

(23:00) - Cultural alignment and finding common ground

(25:00) - Maintaining long-distance connections

(27:00) - Practicing listening and emotional support

Key Topics Discussed:

Three Takes, Ishana Nigam, Minali Nigam, Mona Nigam, generational advice, lasting friendships, maintaining adult friendships, multigenerational relationships, friendship communication tips, immigrant community bonding

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Minali shares her powerful story of facing an unexpected and crushing rejection from a fellowship program she thought was a sure thing. Joined by her sister Ishana and their mom Mona, the three dive into the emotional weight of rejection, generational differences in how we process it, and the surprising ways it can become a redirection to something better. From therapy breakthroughs to workplace insights and family resilience, this heartfelt conversation offers honest strategies, practical takeaways, and a reminder that rejection does not define your worth; it refines your path.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - Reframing rejection as redirection

(06:00) - College application rejections and self-worth

(07:30) - Generational differences in handling rejection

(09:00) - Therapy, support systems, and coping tools

(13:00) - The employer’s side of rejection

(17:00) - Identifying feelings and journaling

(19:00) - Replacing negativity with gratitude

(22:00) - The power of open conversations

(25:30) - Social media, comparison, and resiliency

Mentions:

I Saw My Rejection as a Personal Failure: https://opmed.doximity.com/articles/i-saw-my-rejection-as-a-personal-failure

Key Topics Discussed:

Three Takes, Ishana Nigam, Minali Nigam, Mona Nigam, generational advice, overcoming professional rejection, emotional resilience strategies, career setbacks and growth, generational views on rejection, mental health after rejection

More of Three Takes:

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Ishana, Minali, and Mona dive deep into the essence of mentorship, sharing their personal experiences and reflections on what truly makes a mentor impactful. From formal career coaches to informal role models, they explore the qualities that define great mentors: empathy, dedication, and the ability to broaden horizons. Minali highlights the transformative power of a mentor who invests time and curiosity, while Mona emphasizes the importance of reliability and servant leadership. Ishana reflects on the vulnerability and depth required in mentor-mentee relationships, comparing the process to dating—compatibility and patience are key! Whether you're seeking a mentor or striving to be one, this conversation offers invaluable takeaways on building meaningful connections, setting expectations, and the generational differences in mentorship. 

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - Traits of effective mentors

(00:05) - Mentorship in journalism and medicine

(00:09) - Informal vs. formal mentorship

(00:12) - Gender dynamics in mentorship

(00:19) - Role models vs. mentors

(00:21) - Generational differences in mentorship

(00:23) - How to find a mentor

Key Topics Discussed:

Three Takes, Ishana Nigam, Minali Nigam, Mona Nigam, generational advice, qualities of a good mentor, how to find a mentor, mentorship success stories, effective mentor traits, career growth through mentorship

More of Three Takes:

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Mona, Minali, and Ishana dive into the complexities of fitness, how we define it, prioritize it, and integrate it into our ever-changing lives. From Minali’s ambitious Ironman training to Mona’s childhood memories of biking to school, and Ishana’s mental health revelations through running, this episode explores: the struggle to balance fitness with busy schedules, shifting mindsets, the power of community, fitness as mental health medicine, and why even 20 minutes matters. Whether you’re a marathoner, a casual walker, or someone who’s just starting out, this episode will challenge your definitions of fitness and leave you feeling empowered to move on your own terms.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - The failed morning run

(00:02) - Late bedtimes and workout expectations

(00:03) - Ironman training and current lack of goals

(00:05) - Competitive mindsets

(00:08) - Generational differences in fitness

(00:11) - Why fitness matters

(00:16) - Communicating fitness needs at work

(00:22) - Working out alone vs. with others

Key Topics Discussed:

Three Takes, Ishana Nigam, Minali Nigam, Mona Nigam, generational advice, fitness mindset shift, prioritizing workouts, mental health benefits of exercise, busy schedule fitness, Ironman training

More of Three Takes:

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From Instacart guilt and Uber Eats indulgences to retirement planning and 529 college funds, Mona, Minali and Ishana uncover how upbringing, convenience culture, and relationship dynamics shape our financial behavior. Whether you're splitting rent with a partner, trying to save during residency, or navigating the rising costs of adulthood, this episode offers relatable stories, timeless wisdom, and practical financial advice from both millennial and first-gen immigrant perspectives. Tune in for candid reflections, surprising admissions, and tips to make peace with your “judgy bank account.”

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - Money as opportunity and freedom

(08:00) - 401k, 529 plans, and early saving habits

(10:00) - Taking investment risks smartly

(14:00) - Comparing generational financial journeys

(17:00) - Budgeting for weddings and mortgages

(24:00) - Couples managing separate and joint finances

(26:00) - Smart spending vs. impulse buying

(28:00) - Budgeting tools and monthly money tracking

Key Topics Discussed:

Three Takes, Ishana Nigam, Minali Nigam, Mona Nigam, generational advice, financial literacy for millennials, smart money habits, budgeting and saving tips, family finance conversations, generational wealth planning

More of Three Takes:

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Mona, Ishana, and Minali dive into a heartfelt conversation about what makes work meaningful and how that definition shifts across generations. Ishana, on the brink of starting her consulting career, grapples with balancing passion projects and the quest for daily purpose. Minali, a physician nearing the end of her training, reflects on how her sense of meaning in medicine has evolved. Meanwhile, Mona, a seasoned business coach, shares wisdom from her journey, from prioritizing stability in her early career to now valuing legacy and growth. Together, they explore: generational perspectives on work, from financial stability to fulfillment; why balance and purpose might be more intertwined than we think. Whether you’re just starting out, mid-career, or redefining your path, this conversation offers timeless lessons on aligning work with what truly matters to you.  

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - Defining meaningful work  

(00:10) - Financial security vs. fulfillment across life stages

(00:14) - Reframing meaning beyond daily tasks

(00:18) - Generational values in the workplace

(00:22) - Employer role in work-life balance

(00:26) - Eudaimonia and achievement  

Key Topics Discussed:

Three Takes, Ishana Nigam, Minali Nigam, Mona Nigam, generational advice, meaningful work and purpose, generational differences in careers, work-life balance strategies, career values and fulfillment, finding purpose in jobs

More of Three Takes:

Email us at [email protected]

Start a conversation at https://threetakes.com/

DM us on Instagram (@three.takes) at https://www.instagram.com/three.takes/ 

Three Takes is a multi-generational podcast hosted by a Gen X mom and her Millennial and Gen Z daughters. From career shifts and relationships to burnout and purpose, they share real, unfiltered conversations that feel like a mic’d-up family FaceTime. Whether you're finding your way, reinventing yourself, or just trying to catch a breath—this space is for you. New episodes on Tuesdays. Subscribe now and evolve with us, one take at a time.