Being a working mom in science & tech isn't the problem.

Your time management isn't the problem.

The problem is that your disorganized calendar and context switching silently drains your energy and productivity throughout the day leaving you feeling overwhelmed and unbalanced in all your roles as a mom and a scientist.

In this episode, I'm sharing how I went from a calendar packed with scattered micro-tasks… to finally reclaiming time and space in my week through batch-blocking. Creating visible breathing room by going beyond basic time-blocking—I've built a system that supports real work-life balance even as a work-from-home mom.

And the best part? You can do this too! You can clear up 10% of your calendar this week alone (e.g., if you have 20 time blocks, and you create 2 batch blocks or delete 1-3 orphan tasks).

I'm walking you through what I batch together, what I delete from my calendar, and the exact 5-step strategy that made this transformation possible—so you can achieve a sense of balance and peace by nurturing close family relationships while reclaiming time and space for personal growth, self-care, and joy.

• (0:00): Teaser
• (1:59): Ask me a question
• (2:30): Why a cluttered calendar keeps high‑achieving moms feeling overwhelmed and unbalanced in all their roles
• (5:50): The difference between time‑blocking and batch‑blocking
• (8:25): The effect of context switching on your productivity
• (10:27): A simple 5‑step system to create your first batch blocks in about 15 minutes
• (16:12): How to decide which events get deleted, batched, or kept as standalone appointments
• (18:38): What a “clean,” batch‑blocked calendar looks and feels like & your calendar challenge this week

• Rethink the pace and expectations that are filling your schedule in the first place - ⏮️ EP 101: When “Pushing Through” Is Destroying Your Work-Life Balance (& How to Slow Down With Purpose) (Podcast)
• Simple science-aware shifts to calm your days - ⏮️ 101: When “Pushing Through” Is Destroying Your Work-Life Balance (& How to Slow Down With Purpose) (Podcast)
• Life planning framework - 📖 Why Planning is the Key to Time Freedom for Ambitious Moms (Blog)

👉🏼 My Designed Life Method empowers moms in STEM with a clear life plan for pursuing their ambitions without sacrificing family time.

P.S. Your first call is free, and I’ll run an Alignment Audit to get your customized life plan started!

🙋🏻‍♀️ Question, episode idea, or feedback? Record a message in just one click!

Leave me a 🤩 rating & review—your support helps other moms find the show!

💌 Grab my newsletter for twice-monthly tips, tools, and exclusives—so you can build a life that honors both your ambitions and your family

📫 E-mail hello@solveformom.com

👍🏽 Tap +Follow and never miss an episode.

🌐 Visit solveformom.com for more information and FREE resources

➡️ Follow & Tag @solveformom on LinkedIn and Pinterest for daily tips to find balance one micro-step at a time

🔬Connect with me on my personal LinkedIn as a fellow PhD researcher & scientific consultant.

📍Follow Solve for Mom on Pinterest for daily tips for moms in STEM to find balance one micro-step at a time.

// Life Planning Tools for Moms Striving to Balance Ambition and Motherhood //

Decision-making for moms doesn't have to feel overwhelming. As a high-achieving mom in science, tech, or research, you've spent years building expertise—but when everything feels urgent at home and work, even the simplest choices can leave you second-guessing yourself.

In this episode, I share 6 simple ways to pull data from your life (internally & externally) to make informed decisions, especially when you struggle with decision overload or worry about making the "wrong" choice. I'll share:

• How to move from constant overwhelm to confident, data-driven decisions using six practical strategies
• How to use your own life as data—your values, goals, energy, and resources—to make choices that actually align with your ambitious, family-first vision
• How life planning can turn decisions from pure guesswork to a a process that strategically factors all domains of your life

• (0:00): Teaser
• (1:54): 🤩 Listener Review 🤩
• (2:59): Why high‑achieving moms in STEM experience decision overwhelm
• (4:44): The real sources of decision fatigue
• (7:09): What “data‑driven decision making” looks like in real life (beyond spreadsheets and numbers) and how to use your own life as data
• (9:19): 1. Trust your gut
• (12:57): 2. Values-based decisions
• (14:29): 3. Goal-oriented decisions
• (15:28): 4. Priority stack
• (17:49): 5. Feasibility assessment
• (19:50): 6. Whole Life Impact
• (21:43): How a life plan becomes your personal data source and decision‑making filter
• (23:44): Wrap-up - How to take action on a decision that’s weighing on you

→→→ Feel like you’re juggling too many priorities without a clear direction? 📞 Reserve a free call where I’ll run an Alignment Audit to find out if life planning can bridge the gap between your current life and your ideal life.

Decision-making for moms that blends soul & strategy - ⏮️ EP 60: “At a Crossroads? The #1 Way to Make Decisions You’ll Never Regret (Podcast)

Zoom in on values-based decision-making - ⏮️ Why Prioritizing Your Core Values Beats Any Pros & Cons List (Podcast)

Life planning framework - 📖 Life Planning – How to Design & Achieve a Life That’s Right for You (Blog)

I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

👉🏼 My Designed Life Method empowers moms in STEM with a clear life plan for pursuing their ambitions without sacrificing family time. Get Started!

🙋🏻‍♀️ Question, episode idea, or feedback? Record a message in just one click!

💌 Grab my newsletter for twice-monthly tips, tools, and exclusives—so you can build a life that honors both your ambitions and your family

📫 E-mail hello@solveformom.com

FOLLOW

👍🏽 Tap +Follow and never miss an episode. Leave me a 🤩 rating & review—your support helps other moms find the show!

🌐 Visit solveformom.com for more information and FREE resources

➡️ Follow @solveformom on LinkedIn for life planning strategies that help you envision, plan, and take action on your big ideas while prioritizing family time.

🔬Connect with me on my personal LinkedIn as a fellow PhD researcher & scientific consultant.

📍Follow Solve for Mom on Pinterest for daily tips for moms in STEM to find balance one micro-step at a time.

// Life Planning Tools for Moms Striving to Balance Ambition and Motherhood //

If you're feeling the urge to clarify your core values in the new year or are being pulled in multiple directions, this episode is for you. In this Figure It Out Friday episode, I answer the question: Are your core values as a mom and a STEM professional different from your career or family values?

I’m not talking about creating rigid rules or fitting you into a box. This is about why misalignment between your schedule and your personal values leaves you feeling disconnected and “not like yourself” and the first step towards taking ownership of your decisions in life so you can start this year feeling grounded and in control.

If you're ready to move from feeling disconnected and unbalanced to having ownership in everything you do, and if you want to create a life plan that honors both your ambitions and your family, this one's a must-listen! I also share personal and client stories showing how core values like connection, faith, and financial freedom can guide both family culture and career moves.

• (0:00): Teaser
• (1:59): Ask me a question
• (2:28): A simple, clear definition of core values and how they shape your identity and decisions
• (5:48): The crucial differences & overlaps between family values, career values, and personal values, and which parts of yourself to prioritize—with real‑life examples
• (7:12): Why so many high‑achieving moms in STEM feel unbalanced when personal, family, and career blur together
• (9:15): How core values are foundational to life planning (like goal setting, time management, and personal growth)
• (11:59): Wrap-up

→→→ If you are looking for a way to stop choosing between “success” as a scientist and “family time” and instead design a version of success that supports both - then sign up for private coaching on my Designed Life Method

P.S. Your first call is free, and I’ll run an Alignment Audit to get your customized life plan started!

How to apply what you just learned - ⏮️ EP 35: [Coaching] Planning For Your Future Life by Prioritizing Your Values Now (Podcast)

Zoom out on identity & values - ⏮️ EP 22: Be the CEO of Your Life – Freedom to Have Ambitions During Motherhood | Life Planning 101 (Podcast)

Life planning framework - 📖 Life Planning – How to Design & Achieve a Life That’s Right for You (Blog)

I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

🙋🏻‍♀️ Question, episode idea, or feedback? Record a message in just one click!

📫 E-mail hello@solveformom.com

💌 Grab my newsletter for twice-monthly tips, tools, and exclusives—so you can build a life that honors both your ambitions and your family

FOLLOW

🌐 Visit solveformom.com for more information and FREE resources

👍🏽 Tap +Follow and never miss an episode. Leave me a 🤩 rating & review—your support helps other moms find the show!

➡️ Follow & Tag @solveformom on LinkedIn and Pinterest for daily tips to find balance one micro-step at a time

// Life Planning Tools for Moms Striving to Balance Ambition and Motherhood //

Your work-life balance isn't about doing less—it's about doing what matters most. But when "pushing through" becomes your default, when slowing down feels risky, and when guilt takes over, then burnout isn't far behind.

In this episode, I'm sharing why slowing down with purpose is the most strategic move you can make as an ambitious mom. I'll walk you through the 4 C's that rest creates—Calm, Creativity, Clarity, and Connection—and show you how intentional rest protects your long-term goals instead of derailing them.

This isn't about quitting or falling behind. It's about giving yourself permission to pause so you can show up as your best self—for your family, your work, and yourself.

• Why slowing down isn't risky for your goals
• How to know when to change the pace of your work
• The cultural expectations fuel guilt about rest—and why that guilt isn't based in reality
• How to slow down or plan an intentional rest in a way that fuels productivity and growth
• The 4C’s of rest

If you're ready to build a life with both ambition and breathing room, this episode will show you exactly where to start.

• (0:00): Teaser
• (2:39): 🌟 Listener Review 🌟
• (3:32): Why pushing through backfires
• (14:38): Where guilt about pausing work really comes from
• (22:10): How to slow down with purpose and during a busy season and what this means for your long-term goals
• (28:23): The 4 C's of rest
• (32:05): Recap

🎧 Minimum viable day: (Jump to 14:27) EP 19: 4 Work‑Life Balance Rules for Ambitious Moms Who Refuse to Choose Between Goals and Family Time

🎧 Information management system: EP 64: 3 Systems to Turn Cluttered Notes into Productive Learning & Decision Making

→ → → Ready to turn your ideal life into real life with a clear plan? My Designed Life Method is what you need. This is a 1:1 coaching program designed specifically for women in STEM who want a roadmap for pursuing their big ideas while prioritizing family.

Claim your Free Alignment Call 📞 with Anokhi now!

I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

🙋🏻‍♀️ Question, topic idea, or feedback? Record a message in just one click!

📫 E-mail hello@solveformom.com

💌 Grab my newsletter for twice-monthly tips, tools, and exclusives—so you can build a life that honors both your ambitions and your family

FOLLOW

🌐 Visit solveformom.com for more information and FREE resources

👍🏽 Tap +Follow and never miss an episode. Leave me a 🤩 rating & review—your support helps other moms find the show!

➡️ Follow & Tag @solveformom on LinkedIn and Pinterest for daily tips to find balance one micro-step at a time

// Life Planning Tools for Moms Striving to Balance Ambition and Motherhood //

Is work-life balance really impossible for high-achieving moms? This milestone 100th episode reveals the truth: balance isn't a 50/50 split—it's about creating intentional systems, clear boundaries, and aligned decisions that let you show up fully in every role.

After interviewing a dozen brilliant, high-achieving women—from productivity experts to PhD researchers to CEOs—a powerful consensus emerged: work-life balance is not a myth. It's a lived experience built on life planning, not perfection.

If you're a professionally-trained mom who feels stuck juggling parenting, household duties, work, and that invisible web of responsibilities with limited time—leaving no space for pursuing your dreams—this episode is for you.

(0:00): Welcome to Episode 100! Debunking the work-life balance myth

(3:54): ⭐️ Listener review ⭐️

(4:37): The 3 problems: overload, guilt, and unclear direction

(7:09): Why high-achieving moms feel disconnected and lost

(10:56): Insights from expert interviews - Systems, body regulation, and boundaries as balance foundations

(14:49): What balance really means (and it’s not)

(18:59): The life planning framework & next step

• You're a highly-skilled, degreed mom who feels like you must choose between being a good mother and pursuing meaningful work
• You're tired of hearing "work-life balance is impossible" and want a realistic, personalized approach
• You want to create a life where you can be everything you need to be for your kids, your career, and yourself
• You're ready to stop feeling overwhelmed, over-scheduled, and overlooked

→ → → Ready to fast‑track your ambitions during motherhood with a clear plan? Use my science-based Designed Life Method and get a custom action plan that fits your busy schedule—spots are limited, so claim yours at solveformom.com/book-life-planning 👀 Want a sneak peek? Book your Free Exploratory call 📞 with Anokhi now!

🎧 Referenced Episodes:

EP 50: Feeling Lost? How Self-Discovery Helped Me Find Purpose at My Most Difficult Stage of Motherhood

🙋🏻‍♀️ Question, feedback, or ambitious goal to share? Record a message in just one click!

📫 E-mail hello@solveformom.com

🌐 Visit solveformom.com for more information and FREE resources

💌 Grab my newsletter for twice-monthly tips, tools, and exclusives—so you can build a life that honors both your ambitions and your family

📍 Follow @solveformom on LinkedIn and Pinterest for daily tips to find balance one micro-step at a time

👍🏽 Tap +Follow and never miss an episode. Leave me a 🤩 rating & review—your support helps other moms find the show!

// Life Planning Tools for Moms Striving to Balance Ambition and Motherhood //

Are you a high-achieving mom feeling disconnected from your successful self? Struggling with decision fatigue and competing priorities while trying to balance career ambitions and motherhood? In today's episode, I explain what a life planning strategist does and how personalized life planning can help you feel like yourself again—with clarity, confidence, and a roadmap that actually works for your life.

This episode is for ambitious moms in science, tech, research, or any professional field who are ready to stop feeling overwhelmed and start making visible progress on the goals that matter most—without sacrificing family time or losing yourself in the process.

In today's episode, I share:

• What a life planning strategist actually does
• Why life planning matters for high-achieving moms
• The 3 phases of my Designed Life Method
• How to create focused execution, better family time, and steady progress toward your big ideas—even with a packed schedule

If you're ready to turn your ideal life into your real life and stop feeling stuck between who you were and who you want to become, hit play and let's design a life that honors both your ambitions and your family!

→→→ Your next breakthrough to living out your ideal life starts with clarity. 📞 Sign up for a Free Alignment Audit call 📞 with Anokhi now! In this no-obligation 30-minute call, we’ll surface your core desire, pinpoint areas for aligned action, and evaluate if my 1:1 Designed Life Method is the right catalyst for you.

• (0:00): Teaser
• (1:58): 👍🏽 Tap +Follow and never miss an episode.
• (2:21): Streamlining your goals at work, home, and for personal growth
• (5:35): What is a life plan?
• (10:04): What is a life planning strategist?
• (11:49): How can professional women benefit from a life planning strategist?
• (13:28): Design your life in 3 steps
• (18:55): Wrap-up

🙋🏻‍♀️ Question, topic idea, or feedback? Record a message in just one click!

📫 E-mail hello@solveformom.com

💌 Grab my newsletter for twice-monthly tips, tools, and exclusives—so you can build a life that honors both your ambitions and your family

➡️ Tag @solveformom on LinkedIn and Pinterest for daily tips to find balance one micro-step at a time

Leave me a 🤩 rating & review—your support helps other moms find the show!

🌐 Visit solveformom.com for more information and FREE resources

// Life Planning Tools for Moms Striving to Balance Ambition and Motherhood //