What If the Real Problem Isn’t Time—but Space?

🧠 We need space not just to think more clearly—but to remember who we are.

As we close another "Maytember" and we head into the summer months, I wanted to share an article I’ve been thinking about.

In science and medicine, productivity is often prized above all else. We get used to trying to squeeze insight from urgency, clarity from chaos. But what if the problem isn’t our time management—it’s the absence of mental spaciousness?

This recent Harvard Business Review article on how to give yourself more space to think is a quiet revelation. It names something many of us feel but rarely articulate: the difference between a full calendar and a full mind.

“Creating mental space is not a time-management strategy—it’s a mindset.”

The article offers practical ideas—asking bigger questions, changing your environment, scheduling pauses.

But let’s be honest: even with the best intentions, carving out time to reflect, strategize, or even breathe often feels impossible. We tell ourselves we’ll block time for thinking—but when the moment comes, it gets steamrolled by emails, caregiving, grant deadlines, and meetings.

“The people we keep company with can expand our internal spaciousness—or shrink it.”

That line stopped me. Because it’s not just about time—it’s about who we choose to spend it with. Some people help you breathe deeper and think bigger. Others reduce your mind to a to-do list.

For Scientist Moms navigating research, leadership, and caregiving, this kind of expansive company isn’t a luxury—it’s a lifeline. And yet, we rarely hold ourselves accountable to creating it.

That’s one of the reasons I built MotherMind.

It’s a space for expansive thinking, grounded leadership, and meaningful connection. But just as importantly, it’s a structure for accountability—a commitment to actually show up for ourselves. To not just schedule the reflection time, but honor it. To think out loud with women who understand your life without explanation. To talk about vision, values, and rest—and to practice building a career and a life that reflect those things.

🌿 The next MotherMind cohort launches in just a few weeks. If you’re a research-intensive mother craving more space—for your voice, your vision, your whole self—I hope you’ll join us.

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