Have you ever been told that work-life balance for women in STEM is a myth?
Do you want a meaningful science career and a rooted family life —but you worry that you’re “failing at both”?
Are you running low on time, energy, and sleep, trying to keep up with grant deadlines, conferences, and kids?
Do you wonder if negotiating career shifts, flexible jobs, STEM-adjacent roles, or maternity leave is proof you’re not a serious scientist?
Welcome to Science Careers for Moms — a TOP 2.5% GLOBALLY RANKED PODCAST for women in STEM who want a career path where they can thrive in science without sacrificing their family or personal wellbeing.
Hi! I’m Anokhi Kapasi, a PhD researcher and mom of two boys. I created this show because I know what it is like to feel torn between being a serious scientist and a present mom —and to realize that “trying harder” is not a strategy.
This show is different because it integrates career and life planning strategies designed specifically for science-minded moms in a work culture that was not built for caregivers. Every episode blends interviews with other scientists who have been where you are and career planning deep-dives where you will learn the answer to questions like:
🎯 Are there decision-making frameworks to help me navigate pivots, return-to-work, academia vs. industry…or to even know what the “next right move” is?
🎯 How do I set career goals that allow me to stay ambitious, connect with my family, and feel like myself again?
🎯 Is work–life balance for working moms in STEM actually possible, and what does it look like in practice?
🎯 Can I stay in science & tech without burnout, guilt, or losing sight of myself?
STEM-trained moms, I’ll teach you how to make confident career decisions that align with your whole life —not just professional development.
🎧 FOLLOW this show and never choose between being a good mom or a good scientist again!
🗣️ GUEST INTEREST FORM: https://calendly.com/anokhi-solveformom/guests-on-solve-for-mom
📩 QUESTIONS: hello@solveformom.com
🌐 VISIT: www.SolveForMom.com for more resources & information
Episodes
Monday Aug 04, 2025
Monday Aug 04, 2025
Hello Wonderful Mom!
Are you constantly feeling scattered and overwhelmed by your busy schedule? Do you struggle with finding enough time in your day while still prioritizing your family? Does your to-do list feel never-ending, leaving you with that nagging feeling that you're not doing any one thing really well?
In today's episode, I share my game-changing T.I.M.E. Block Method - a practical framework specifically designed for ambitious moms who want to conquer their busy schedules without sacrificing family time. This method will help you move from feeling constantly distracted to having focused, intentional blocks in your day.
If you're ready to finally gain control over your schedule, then hit play so so you can Achieve Your Ambitious Mom Life!
Episode Highlights:
- (0:00): Teaser
- (1:31): ❓Ask me your question!
- (2:04): Introduction to the T.I.M.E. Block Method
- (2:13): Listener question about traditional time blocking challenges
- (4:43): Why ambitious moms struggle with scattered thinking and constant distractions
- (6:35): What is time blocking?
- (7:20): The mental load of carrying everything in your head
- (8:44): Why time blocking hasn’t work for you so far
- (9:25): Life planning and time audits
- (11:38): T - Tasks & roles
- (12:50): I - Identify priorities first
- (16:46): M - Minimize context switching for better productivity
- (19:52): E - Expect interruptions and plan buffer time
- (21:34): Book your Free Exploratory call 📞 💫with Anokhi now!
- (23:06: Wrap-up & Recap
Links Mentioned in Episode:
⏮️ Learn more about scheduling buffers - EP 46: Want More Time? 3 Easy Time Management Tips to Take Back Your Day
⏮️ Details on the Focus Funnel - EP 19: 4 Rules for Busy Moms - How to Manage Energy, Chaos & Balance
📖 Shantz JA. Battling Parkinson's Law. CMAJ. 2008 Oct 21;179(9):968.
New to Life Planning?
🧩 Free Life Planning Quiz
🎯 Life Planning – How to Design & Achieve a Life That’s Right for You
Free Resources
💌 Become an SFM Insider for weekly tips, tools, and exclusives
✍🏻 The go-to blog for ambitious moms
📝 Personal Code of Conduct Template
🌐 Visit solveformom.com for more information
// Meaningful Work by Aligning Your Time With Who Your Are //
Let's Connect!
👍🏽 Tap +Follow and never miss an episode. Leave me a 🤩 rating & review—your support helps other moms find the show!
📧 [hello@solveformom.com](mailto:hello@solveformom.comhello@solveformom.com)
➡️ Tag @solveformom on LinkedIn and Pinterest
// Optimize Daily Decisions By Aligning Your Time to Your Values //
Friday Jul 04, 2025
Friday Jul 04, 2025
Hello Ambitious Mom!
Has summer break thrown your carefully crafted routines into complete chaos? Do you feel like your personal goals get completely lost in the summer shuffle?
Many ambitious moms find themselves scrambling to make the most of the time with their kids and family while desperately wanting to double down on projects that have gone to the wayside. When your days become jam-packed with managing everyone else's summer activities, your own goals keep getting pushed to the bottom of your to-do list, leaving you feeling scattered and disconnected from yourself just when summer should be bringing you freedom, lightness, and joy.
In today's episode, I share how to create a 3-step vision for summer break that actually fills your cup instead of draining it. You'll discover how to create harmony between family time and personal needs, find those precious pockets of time for your own refreshment, and use summer's different rhythm to reconnect with your personal goals and identity.
This is a show about vision casting for your summer, where I teach you how intentional planning will help you transform from surviving to thriving during these precious summer months.
If you're ready to stop dreading summer and embrace all the awesomeness that comes with summer break, hit play and together we can Achieve Your Ambitious Mom Life
Episode Highlights
- (0:00): Teaser
- (2:21): Submit questions for Figure It Out Friday episodes
- (3:00): Why ambitious moms struggle during summer break
- (6:09): Understanding vision casting for seasonal planning
- (7:50): It's never too late to implement your summer vision plan!
- (9:24): Step 1: Reconnect with yourself
- (12:59): Step 2: Connect during family time
- (14:33): Step 3: Schedule personal development and career growth to synchronize with the summer rhythm
- (17:59): Treat summer break as a change in your “scheduling environment”
- (21:34): How these three components work together to create a fulfilling summer
Resources Mentioned:
❓ Ask me a life planning question
📞 Schedule a free call with Anokhi
Let's Connect!
👍🏽 Tap +Follow and never miss an episode. Leave me a 🤩 rating & review—your support helps other moms find the show!
💌 Become an SFM Insider for FREE weekly tips and exclusive content
🎯 Balanced Mom Coaching Program
📱 Join our community on LinkedIn
📫 Email me at hello@solveformom.com
// Optimize Daily Decisions By Aligning Your Time to Your Values //
Sunday Jun 29, 2025
Sunday Jun 29, 2025
Hello Goal-driven Mama!
Do you often feel like you don't have time for fitness? Are you torn between taking care of your family and yourself? Have you tried intense workout programs only to abandon them when life gets hectic?
So many high-achieving moms struggle with the same challenge – including me! We want to prioritize health without sacrificing precious family time.
In today's episode, I talk with Rachel DeSonier, a registered dietitian, certified personal trainer, and mom of 5 who specializes in helping women build confidence through simple, effective strength training routines. Rachel shares practical advice for moms who want to get stronger and feel better without spending hours at the gym.
Our conversation is full of topics that I was surprised to find were related to fitness:
- How to deprioritize
- Honesty & purpose
- Black & white thinking
- Being a steward of your body
- Boundaries
- Building huts
- Emotional eating
If you're ready to find a no-guilt, sustainable system to fitness that fits into your busy mom life, hit play and together we can Achieve Your Ambitious Mom Life!
Selected Quotable Moments
"I think that a really great way to have fantastic fitness - whether you need weight loss, you're wanting to get strong, or your wish to be more functional as you age - is to really start small and be really strategic with what you choose to implement.”
"The mindset shift that I take is making sure that what we say aligns with what our schedule goes to."
"All exercise is, is communicating what sort of adaptation you want your body to develop. Strength training signals to your body that we need bigger muscles to move this load next time."
Episode Highlights
- (0:00): Teaser
- (2:31): Greeting
- (4:09): Rachel shares the exciting trend of moms focusing on fitness for long-term health
- (6:02): Why the all-or-nothing approach fails most women and what to do instead
- (11:06): A mindset shift to prioritizing healthy habits & modeling for your family
- (12:48): Life planning is a simple system for aligning your core values
- (15:49): How to start small with strategic fitness implementations & adapting to challenges to build confidence and mental resilience
- (19:30): How strength training can be more time-efficient than other workouts
- (20:13): A holistic approach to health includes nutrition & meal planning to support strength training
- (21:20): How to tackle overwhelm related to individualized health goals
- (23:48): Wrap-up & Rachel's plan to create impact
Rachel’s Links Mentioned:
- 🎧 Podcast: Effective Weight Loss for Moms
- FB Group: Strength Training for Moms
- IG: @effectivefitnessforwomen
- 🏋️♀️ Downloadable freebie: No Fear Weight Room Tour
Connect with Anokhi:
👍🏽 Tap +Follow and never miss an episode. Leave me a 🤩 rating & review—your support helps other moms find the show!
💌 Become an SFM Insider for FREE weekly tips, tools, and exclusives
🎯 Balanced Mom Coaching Program
📱 Solve for Mom group on LinkedIn
❓ Questions? Email me at hello@solveformom.com
// Optimize Daily Decisions By Aligning Your Time to Your Values //
Sunday Mar 30, 2025
Sunday Mar 30, 2025
Hello Awesome Mom!
Do you sometimes look in the mirror and barely recognize the woman staring back at you? Maybe you're so consumed by daily mom duties that you can't remember what lit that spark inside you. Or perhaps you're caught in that endless cycle of diaper changes, meal prep, and bedtime routines, feeling more like a robot going through the motions than the vibrant person you know you can be.
In today's episode, we explore how to reconnect with your dreams and prioritize your individuality. This episode is especially for you if you're struggling to balance nurturing your family while reclaiming time for your own growth and joy.
Your past achievements are still part of your story - those talents and capabilities didn't disappear when you became a mother. I talk about how to overcome imposter syndrome, engage in self-discovery, and align your goals to your time & energy. I explain how life planning can be your personalized roadmap that helps you set goals with your deepest values. Creating goals isn't about adding more to your plate - it's about making intentional choices that honor both your role as a mom and your individual dreams.
If you’re ready to to get a proven path to reconnecting with that ambitious, hopeful part of yourself that’s been waiting to emerge, hit play and together we can Solve for Mom!
Episode Highlights
- (0:00): Teaser
- (03:01): Listener review
- (03:54): The difficulty moms face in setting meaningful goals
- (05: 10): Identity crisis in high-achieving moms
- (05:10): 1. Imposter syndrome - Your past achievements are part of your story
- (05:10): 2. Self-discovery - Reconnect with yourself
- (14:28): 3. Life planning - Finding your true dream
- (16:38): Free Life Planning Quiz
- (16:56): 4. Master your time
- (18:38): 5. Following your dreams using the Goal Journey Framework
- (20:35): Re-cap
Resources Mentioned:
🎯 Balanced Mom Coaching Program: Ready to rediscover what makes you YOU?
📝 Can life planning help you achieve your dreams? Take my Free Quiz
⏮️ 5 Mindset Secrets to Mastering Personal Growth Goals in Your Mom Life (Think Chemistry)
📖 Why moms are stepping down from work
Let’s Connect!
👍🏽 Tap +Follow and never miss an episode. Leave me a 🤩 rating & review—your support helps other moms find the show!
💌 Become an SFM Insider for FREE weekly tips, tools, and exclusives
📱 Solve for Mom group on LinkedIn
❓ Questions? Email me at hello@solveformom.com
// Science-based life planning to excel while prioritizing family time //
Sunday Jan 05, 2025
Sunday Jan 05, 2025
Hello Successful Mama!
Are you feeling like all the work you do as a mom is hard to define, let alone measure? Do you miss the clarity of progress you have in your career, where promotions, metrics, and feedback loops are part of the equation?
In today’s episode, we’re tackling how to balance data-driven and qualitative personal growth goals to celebrate your unique journey as a mom. I talk about why it’s so hard to measure success as a mom and why traditional metrics don’t always apply. I outline a framework for tracking progress on quantitative and qualitative goals that align with your purpose and vision. I teach you how to reflect on patterns and trends to guide intentional growth.
Whether you're the COO of your household or juggling homeschooling, work, and passions, this episode will give you actionable tools to recognize your value and track your progress in a way that feels meaningful and empowering.
Episode Highlights
- (00:00): Teaser
- (02:29): Become an SFM Insider
- (03:19): Success as a mom is hard to measure
- (06:51): GRowTh Up framework for tracking goals
- (07:16): A comment about SMART goals
- (08:30): 1. Give
- (09:21): 2. Reflect on wins
- (10:25): 3. Themes
- (11:34): 4. Upward
- (12:09): GRowTh Up example
- (14:34): Re-cap
If you’re ready to start tracking progress in ways that feel meaningful and actionable, hit play and together can solve for Mom! 💡
Resources
EP 1: Busy yet Restless? 3 Ways to Find Purpose as a Mom
EP 8: Life Planning 101: Follow the Right Trajectory For YOU
Let’s Connect!
- Tap +Follow (it’s free!) to stay updated on future episodes.
- Leave me a rating & review (thank you!)—I read every comment and your support helps other moms find the show! 💕
- Become an SFM Insider for weekly tips, tools, and exclusives: https://solveformom.myflodesk.com/bpj5yvdu3q
- Got a question or story to share? E-mail me at hello@solveformom.com—your topic could be featured in a future episode!
- Visit www.solveformom.com for more science-based life-planning strategies.
- Join Solve for Mom on LinkedIn and Pinterest
Sunday Dec 29, 2024
Sunday Dec 29, 2024
Hello Ambitious Mom!
Are you tired of setting goals that feel impossible to achieve? Do you find yourself starting a goal with excitement, only to lose momentum and feel like giving up? I’ve been there too — stuck in the cycle of trying and failing until I realized something powerful: the problem wasn’t my schedule; it was my mindset.
Motherhood doesn’t mean putting your dreams on hold — but achieving your goals takes more than just a plan. In today’s episode, I share 5 mindset secrets that will help you shift your thinking to tackle your goals with confidence and clarity, break free from self-limiting beliefs and guilt, and align your goals with what truly matters to you, all while navigating mom life. I’ll show you how the right mindset can act as a catalyst for turning your goals into reality. From overcoming self-doubt to building habits that stick, you’ll learn actionable strategies to craft the life you want without sacrificing your sanity.
Episode Highlights
- (00:00): Teaser
- (02:37): Mindset is a catalyst
- (05:04): 1. A life-long learner mindset
- (06:23): 2. An empowered mindset
- (08:39): 3. Keep the big vision in mind
- (09:40): 4. A positive mindset
- (10:23): 5. A problem-solving mindset
- (12:15): Re-cap
- (13:24): Become an SFM Insider
If you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels, crush your goals, and live with intention, hit play now! Together, we can Solve for Mom.
References:
- Norcross JC, Mrykalo MS, Blagys MD. Auld lang syne: success predictors, change processes, and self-reported outcomes of New Year's resolvers and nonresolvers. J Clin Psychol. 2002 Apr;58(4):397-405.
- Be a life-long learner: EP 13: 3 Personal Growth Tips for Moms to Transform from Overlooked to Impressive
- Learning skills as a mom: EP 2: 5 Things Moms Can Do to Learn a New Skill [15-min or less]
- Life Planning: EP 8: Life Planning 101: Follow the Right Trajectory For YOU
✨ Connect with Me:
Tap +Follow (it’s free!). Leave me a rating & review (thank you!).
Become an SFM Insider to receive my weekly newsletter: https://solveformom.myflodesk.com/bpj5yvdu3q
E-mail me at hello@solveformom.com and your question could be the topic of an upcoming episode!
Visit www.solveformom.com
// Grow Your Individuality While Prioritizing Family Time //
Sunday Nov 10, 2024
Sunday Nov 10, 2024
Hello Wonderful Mom! Do you feel like there is never enough time in the day? Do you find yourself constantly "trying to make things work" for you and your family? Are you dealing with responsibilities day-to-day without knowing what tomorrow will look like? Or perhaps you occasionally find yourself with extra time, only to see it slip away because you didn't know how to take advantage of it?
If you're nodding your head, then this episode is for you! In today’s episode, I share why planning is the secret ingredient to creating more time in your mom life. You’ll learn what planning involves (Hint: it’s more than just a to-do list), tips for adding planning into your mom life, and some examples of how planning has helped in my personal growth and passion projects.
Timestamp -
(00:00): Teaser
(03:17): Plan you mom life for the same reasons you use plans at work
(05:34): What does it mean to plan ahead for moms?
(07:02): 1. Planning frees up your time
(08:03): 2. Planning frees up your energy
(08:33): 3. Planning maximizes your resources
(09:12): 4. Planning frees up your mind
(09:47): Example of how planning helps with my hobbies
(11:41): Re-cap
If you're ready to transform your chaotic days into balanced, intentional, and fulfilling experiences that allow you to find purpose, grow your individuality, and enjoy more family time - hit play and together can solve for Mom!
Tap +Follow (it’s free!). Leave me a rating & review (thank you!).
Become an SFM Insider to receive my weekly newsletter: https://solveformom.myflodesk.com/bpj5yvdu3q
Blog: Why Planning is the Key to Time Freedom for Ambitious Moms
E-mail me at hello@solveformom.com and your question could be the topic of an upcoming episode!
Visit www.solveformom.com
// Grow Your Individuality While Prioritizing Family Time //
Sunday Nov 03, 2024
Sunday Nov 03, 2024
Hello Wonderful Mom! Are you constantly putting everyone else's needs before your own? Do you feel guilty when you take time for passion projects or self-care? You are not alone!
In today’s episode, I share why making time to prioritize yourself is serving your family. We'll explore how taking care of your own needs can lead to better quality family time and stronger relationships. When you start planning for personal growth, you will find that you become more organized in other parts of your life too. Not to mention you are setting a positive example for your children when they see you life-crafting to find purpose or learn skills.
Timestamps:
(00:00): Teaser
(03:03): Excuses we give ourselves
(05:29): Develop a growth mindset
(06:13): 1. Your family needs you to be healthy
(07:36): 2. Having time to focus on you will improve the quality of your family time
(08:59): 3. Planning personal time helps you organize other areas of life
(10:22): 4. Your individuality will shine through
(11:53): 5. You are setting an example for your children
(13:25): When in doubt, gather data
(15:29): Re-cap
If you’re ready to prioritize yourself and positively impact your family, hit play and together we can solve for Mom!
Tap +Follow (it’s free!). Leave me a rating & review (thank you!).
Become an SFM Insider to receive my weekly newsletter: https://solveformom.myflodesk.com/bpj5yvdu3q
E-mail me at hello@solveformom.com and your question could be the topic of an upcoming episode!
Visit www.solveformom.com
// Grow Your Individuality While Prioritizing Family Time //