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
Feb 16, 2025
Feb 16, 2025
19 min
Hello Ambitious Mom!
Are you feeling stuck in the daily grind, wondering if personal growth is even possible with your never-ending to-do list? Maybe you crave a sense of purpose beyond the routines of homeschooling, running a business, or managing a household.
It’s understandable that personal growth can feel like a luxury, but the truth is—it’s a necessity for moms who want to achieve their goals.
In today’s episode, I share my stepwise approach that aligns with your busy life and helps you become the best version of YOU!
Episode Highlights:
- (0:00) Teaser
- (2:38) Self growth as a busy mom
- (3:51) Why invest in personal growth
- (4:35) Mindset shifts during self-improvement
- (6:27) 1. Life Planning (aka Personal Growth Plan)
- (8:14) 2. Identify key roles
- (09:12) 3. Long-term goals
- (10:24) 4. Smaller, short-term goals
- (11:16) 5. What will you need to learn?
- (11:26): More information
- (11:37) A new skill
- (11:46) How to improve a skill
- (12:02) Character-building
- (12:18) 6. Modes of learning
- (14:59) 7. Create systems to support your journey
- (15:47) 8. Track your progress
- (16:53) Recap
This episode is all about strategically planning your self-growth journey so that it’s not just another thing on your plate—it’s a pathway to more joy, fulfillment, and success.
If you’re ready to take action, hit play and together we can Solve for Mom!
Links Mentioned in This Episode:
🎙️Resources for learning skills
👩💻 Ask me about my 1:1 Balanced Mom Coaching
Let’s Connect!
Become an SFM Insider for FREE twice monthly tips, tools, and exclusives
Cheering squad!
🙌 💕 Tap +Follow (it’s free!) and never miss an episode. Leave me a rating & review—your support helps other moms find the show!
Connect with Anokhi
// Science-based life planning to excel while prioritizing family time //
Feb 9, 2025
Feb 9, 2025
18 min
Hello Wonderful Mom!
Are you struggling to stay consistent with good habits? Do you find yourself overwhelmed, unable to balance family life with your personal growth goals? Maybe you want to feel more accomplished at home—whether that’s cooking fresh meals, keeping an organized space, or simply maintaining a routine—but staying disciplined feels impossible.
💡 Stop forcing yourself into routines that don’t work—let’s build ones that actually fit YOUR life.
I get it. You have big dreams and passions, but your time is stretched thin. You start with the best intentions, but without systems and accountability, consistency slips away.
In today’s episode, I’m sharing a coaching call with a mom just like you. You’ll get an inside look at how I help moms build discipline and structure using my Balanced Mom Coaching method and the power of Life Planning. If you’ve been struggling with consistency & discipline, you NEED this episode.
Episode Highlights
- (0:00): Teaser
- (2:00): My science-based Life Planning framework
- (04:53): Why self-discipline is a struggle for busy moms
- (05:28): Successful habits
- (06:16): How systems & accountability factor in
- (10:22): Passions and purpose can become the foundation having discipline
- (12:17): Building a life plan
- (13:10): Aligning actions with your passions & purpose makes habits stick.
- (14:40): Rediscovering passions
- (15:20): Moving forward with systems & accountability
If you’ve ever felt frustrated that you “just don’t have the discipline,” this episode will show you a new way to approach habits and consistency. It’s not about forcing yourself to work harder. It’s about aligning your time and energy with what truly adds value to your life. When your actions are driven by your values and passions, motivation and discipline come naturally.
If you’re ready to stop struggling and start making real progress, hit play and let’s Solve for Mom together!
Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
- Ditch Overwhelm to Be Your Best Self During Motherhood: ➡️ Balanced Mom Coaching
- The Deep Life with Cal Newport
Let’s Connect!
Become an SFM Insider for FREE twice monthly tips, tools, and exclusives
Cheering squad!
- 🙌 💕 Tap +Follow (it’s free!) and never miss an episode. Leave me a rating & review—your support helps other moms find the show!
Connect with Anokhi
Feb 2, 2025
Feb 2, 2025
17 min
Hello Wonderful Mom!
Are you feeling torn between your ambitions and your role as a mom? Do you wonder if it's possible to pursue your passions while still being the amazing mother your kids need? Maybe you’ve tried to “do it all” and ended up exhausted, feeling like you’re constantly choosing between success and family.
I’ve been there, too. I wanted to grow my career, feel fulfilled, and chase my dreams—while still being present for my kids. But instead, I felt like I was drowning in responsibilities, running on autopilot, and losing my sense of self.
In today’s episode, we’re tackling the question: How do I balance my ambitions with my role as a mom? And guess what? You don’t have to choose between them!
I’ll show you how to step into the role of CEO of your life—so you can structure your time, align your goals with your values, and create a system that works for you instead of against you. By the end of this episode, you’ll walk away with actionable strategies to integrate your passions, priorities, and parenting without burnout.
If you want to see what would happen if you ran your life like a CEO runs a company, hit play, and let’s Solve for Mom!
Episode Highlights
- (0:00): Teaser
- (4:48): My life planning story: From consulting career to intentional motherhood
- (7:29 ): The CEO mindset: Taking charge of your life like a business
- (8:14): 1. Brand identity // Clarify your identity
- (10:21): 2. Know your customers // Find the balance to serve you & your family
- (11:43): 3. Develop Your Products & Services // Address your priorities
- (12:30): 4. Track KPIs // Set & track personal goals
- (13:09): 5. Scale intentionally // Avoid burnout
- (14:17): Recap
Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
⏮️ Ep 9: Why Making Time to Prioritize Yourself IS Serving Your Family
Let’s Connect!
Become an SFM Insider for FREE twice monthly tips, tools, and exclusives
Cheering squad!
🙌 💕 Tap +Follow (it’s free!) and never miss an episode. Leave me a rating & review—your support helps other moms find the show!
Ditch Overwhelm to Be Your Best Self During Motherhood
Connect with Anokhi
// Science-based life planning to excel while prioritizing family time //
Jan 26, 2025
Jan 26, 2025
17 min
Hello Wonderful Mom!
Are you overwhelmed by the constant juggling act of motherhood? Do you find yourself running on coffee and chaos, trying to manage your family, work, and everything in between, while your own needs fall to the bottom of the to-do list?
As moms, we’ve all been there—caught in the spiral of trying to “do it all,” only to end up feeling drained and defeated. I wanted to thrive and feel energized, but instead, I was stuck in a loop of exhaustion, trying to keep every plate spinning.
Sound familiar? Then this episode is for you!
In today’s episode, we’re breaking down how to reclaim your energy and thrive—even with all the moving parts of mom life. I’ll introduce my DNA Formula for managing energy, inspired by the incredible ways our very own cells operate. It’s a simple, science-based framework to help you create a daily rhythm that works for you, not against you, so you can balance your responsibilities without sacrificing family time or your own goals.
It’s time to recharge, Mama! Hit play, and let’s Solve for Mom!
Episode Highlights
- (0:00): Teaser
- (2:07): Become an SFM Insider
- (2:30): Why moms struggle with energy
- (04:24): D - Divide & Delegate: Why moms need to share the load and how to start today
- (08:24): N - Nurture Your Energy: Tips for prioritizing yourself and avoiding burnout
- (10:56): A - Adapt to Your Environment: How to keep a flexible schedule and to model balance for your kids
- (15:33): Recap
Links Mentioned in This Episode
- Episode with the Focus Funnel
- Moms work an average of 98 hours a week (Source: Mother.ly)
Join the Movement!
- Become an SFM Insider for my FREE twice monthly newsletter with tips, tools, and exclusives
- Tap +Follow (it’s free!) and never miss an episode
- Leave me a rating & review (thank you!)—I read every comment and your support helps other moms find the show!
- Join @solveformom on LinkedIn and Pinterest
- 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 information on science-stye strategies for life planning & personal growth.
// Science-based life planning to excel while prioritizing family time //
Jan 19, 2025
Jan 19, 2025
25 min
Hello Ambitious Mama!
Do you wish you had more hours in the day to dedicate to your hobbies or passions? Are you struggling to balance your individuality with family time?
As moms, we often put our dreams and goals on hold, juggling family responsibilities, careers, and the nagging guilt of taking time for ourselves. But here’s the thing: pursuing what you love doesn’t make you less of a mom—it makes you a more fulfilled, joyful one!
In today’s episode, I’ll share eight barriers that might be stopping you from doing what lights you up—and, more importantly, actionable solutions to help you overcome them! After this episode you are going to have the exact playbook for these “biggies” that block you from doing things that add meaning to your life.
By tackling these barriers with simple, effective solutions, you’ll feel confident carving out time for your passions—without sacrificing family priorities. You will have mental clarity, be emotionally resilient, know how to build consistency, and learn how to garner support. It’s all about finding that sweet spot between productivity, individuality, and family flow!
If you’re ready to find out the secret to balancing productivity and flow while prioritizing family time, hit play and together can solve for Mom!
Episode Highlights
- (00:00): Introduction
- (02:34): Common barriers that moms face
- (04:29): Become an SFM Insider
- (06:05): 1. Not enough time
- (06:36): How to reclaim your time
- (08:52) 2. Guilt
- (09:07): A simple mindset reframe
- (10:28): 3. Fear or lack of confidence
- (10:42): Borrowing from CBT techniques
- (12:00): 4. Lack of knowledge
- (12:48): Simple skills-building
- (13:17): 5. Perfectionism
- (13:55): Meaningful progress
- (15:26): 6. Overwhelm
- (15:54): Solving complex problems
- (17:56): 7. Lack of discipline or consistency
- (18:10): Building sustainable habits
- (20:03): 8. No support system
- (20:28): Support is closer than you realize
- (21:54): Re-cap
Links Mentioned in This Episode
- Episode on Time Thieves
- Simple Skill-building
- Episode on Reframing Mom Guilt
- Life Planning is the key
Stay in Touch
Tap +Follow (it’s free!). Leave me a rating & review (thank you!).
Share this episode with a mom friend who needs a little encouragement today.
Become an SFM Insider for free to receive my twice monthly 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
// Science-based Life Planning to Excel While Prioritizing Family Time //
Jan 12, 2025
Jan 12, 2025
22 min
Hello Amazing Mom!
Are you struggling to balance what you want to do with the responsibilities that you have to do? Do your days feel too chaotic and overwhelming? If you’ve ever wondered how to create energy, organization, simplicity, and balance, today’s episode is for you!
I share how the laws of thermodynamics can teach us about creating energy, flow, simplicity, and balance in our mom life! Yes, we’re getting a little nerdy—but trust me, this science-style approach will leave you feeling empowered, energized, and equipped with tactical strategies to handle any kind of day.
-
Energy: Learn how to conserve and transform your energy to focus on what matters most. Find ways to stop wasting energy on things that drain you and start channeling it into things that fuel your goals and passions.
-
Flow: Build systems that help you manage the unavoidable chaos of mom life, so your days feel smoother and more predictable.
-
Simplicity: Why simplifying your commitments, environment, and goals can make life feel lighter and easier to manage.
-
Balance: Redefine what balance means for you, then align your needs with your duties.
Episode Highlights:
- (00:00): Teaser
- (02:13): Become an SFM Insider
- (03:04): What moms can learn from thermodynamics about energy, simplicity, and balance
- (06:04): 1. The First Law: Energy conservation and transformation in your day
- (07:22) Life planning for energy redistribution
- (09:17): Time-blocking & strategic planning
- (09:31): Types of energy in our day
- (10:28): 2. The Second Law: Embracing chaos and building systems to manage it
- (11:03): Building systems
- (13:04): 3. The Third Law: How simplifying leads to more time and mental space.
- (14:27)): Minimum viable day
- (15:34): Focus funnel
- (16:31): 4. The Zeroth Law: Balancing individuality with family time
- (19:40): Re-cap of the tactical tips to put these laws into action
If you’re ready to wrangle your untamed mom life, hit play, and together we can solve for Mom!
References:
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
// Science-based life planning to excel while prioritizing family time //
Jan 5, 2025
Jan 5, 2025
17 min
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
Dec 29, 2024
Dec 29, 2024
14 min
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 //