Build systems don't rely on superhuman productivity or having to settle for less if you want to build a world leading research career and a fulfilling family life.

One of the things I'm doing as part of the Artemis Project is gathering case studies of women at all career stages to showcase practically how they, hopefully alongside any life partner, have implemented the advice that is all around us to "get your childcare sorted". I hope the case studies will bring both inspiration and practical ideas that could be copied or adapted to make both the day to day, and those multiple one off "emergencies" work.  The nature of an academic life is that many are a long way from traditional family support structures and thus there are not multiple sets of grandparents to step in at a moment's notice.  I hope that the case studies will showcase what is working well, to give inspiration to others, but also what remain as challenges for all.

Case studies aren't a novel idea. For example, there is already a suite available on the How Does She Do It? series webpage belonging to the Fairhall Lab (https://fairhalllab.com/careers/how-does-she-do-it/). The case studies there cover a myriad of countries, disciplines, career stages, and family circumstances. I asked ChatGPT to analyse them and look for patterns and themes that we might learn from. It had this to say:

How Do Successful Academic Mothers Make It Work? Lessons from Women Who Have Built Research Careers and Raised Families

None of the contributors claim that combining research and parenting is easy. In fact, many describe periods of exhaustion, logistical complexity, and self-doubt. But they also demonstrate that a thriving academic career and a fulfilling family life are not mutually exclusive.

Across dozens of personal accounts, several common strategies emerge.

1. They Build Support Systems Instead of Trying to Do Everything Alone

Perhaps the strongest theme throughout the collection is the importance of support.

The most successful researchers did not attempt to manage childcare, household responsibilities, and academic careers entirely by themselves. Instead, they deliberately built networks of support around them. These included:

• Supportive partners who shared parenting responsibilities
• Grandparents and extended family
• Professional childcare
• Nannies and babysitters
• House cleaners and other domestic services
• Colleagues and mentors

Many contributors described childcare not as a luxury but as a critical career enabler. Several specifically highlighted the benefits of high-quality, on-site childcare that reduced commuting time and allowed them to stay connected with both family and work. Others spoke openly about outsourcing household tasks in order to preserve energy for research and family relationships. 

The underlying principle was clear: stop viewing independence as the goal. Build a team.

2. They Prioritise Efficiency Over Long Hours

A second recurring theme was the shift from measuring commitment by hours worked to measuring it by effectiveness.

Before becoming parents, many described working late nights, weekends, and maintaining highly flexible schedules. Parenthood removed that option. School pickups, childcare hours, and family commitments created hard boundaries around work time.

Interestingly, many women reported becoming more productive as a result.

Rather than seeing limited hours as a disadvantage, they learned to:

• Plan work more carefully
• Prioritise high-value activities
• Protect focused work periods
• Reduce unnecessary commitments
• Delegate more effectively

Several contributors noted that the structure imposed by childcare schedules actually improved their productivity because it forced greater intentionality about how time was spent.

3. They Treat Family Logistics as a Strategic Challenge

Another striking pattern was the level of planning involved.

The women who appeared to navigate family and academic demands most successfully approached logistics almost like a research project. They anticipated challenges, developed systems, and continually refined them.

Examples included:

• Coordinating conference travel with partners
• Sharing childcare responsibilities between academic couples
• Structuring maternity leave around critical research commitments
• Building lab teams capable of functioning independently during absences
• Planning career moves with family needs in mind

Rather than hoping things would somehow work out, they actively designed systems that reduced friction and created predictability.

4. They Build Independence Into Their Research Groups

Many contributors emphasised a lesson that becomes increasingly important as academic careers progress: you cannot personally do everything.

Successful academic mothers often described investing heavily in:

• Hiring talented researchers
• Developing capable postdocs and students
• Creating strong team cultures
• Establishing clear project ownership

This allowed research programmes to continue moving forward during maternity leave, conference travel, or periods when family demands were particularly intense.

The lesson extends beyond parenting. Building a self-sustaining research group is a hallmark of effective academic leadership generally. Parenthood simply makes the need for delegation more visible.

5. They Seek Out Supportive Environments

Another common factor was the importance of institutional culture.

Many contributors credited supportive mentors, departments, and universities with making family life compatible with academic success.

Characteristics of supportive environments included:

• Family-friendly policies
• Access to childcare
• Flexible working arrangements
• Understanding supervisors
• Positive role models
• Colleagues who respected family responsibilities

Several women stressed the importance of evaluating institutions not only for scientific prestige but also for whether they genuinely support researchers with families. 

In other words, success was not solely an individual achievement. Environment mattered.

6. They Reject Perfectionism

One of the most refreshing themes running throughout the series is the rejection of perfectionism.

Many contributors acknowledged:

• Messy houses
• Missed opportunities
• Imperfect work-life balance
• Periods of self-doubt
• Feelings of guilt

Yet the most successful researchers seemed to develop a willingness to accept "good enough" in areas that were not central to their values.

Rather than striving for perfection everywhere, they focused on excelling in the domains that mattered most: their families and their science.

Several specifically encouraged younger academics to be kinder to themselves and avoid becoming their own harshest critics.

7. They Choose Partners Carefully

A supportive partner emerged as perhaps the single most frequently cited factor in long-term success.

Many women described academic careers as fundamentally easier when both partners:

• Respected each other's ambitions
• Shared domestic responsibilities
• Made career decisions collaboratively
• Viewed parenting as a joint responsibility

The stories repeatedly suggest that career success is rarely an individual accomplishment. It is often built on strong partnerships where both people actively contribute to making family and professional goals achievable. 

8. They Accept That Different Seasons Require Different Approaches

A particularly valuable insight from the collection is that there is no single formula.

What worked with infants often differed from what worked with school-age children. Strategies that were effective during a postdoc were not always appropriate for a principal investigator leading a large research group.

Many contributors emphasised adaptability:

• Some periods require greater career focus.
• Some periods require greater family focus.
• Different children have different needs.
• Different career stages create different pressures.

Rather than searching for a perfect, permanent balance, these researchers continuously adjusted their approach as circumstances changed.

9. They Invest in Mentors and Role Models

The importance of mentorship appeared throughout the series.

Many women credited senior academics who:

• Encouraged them early in their careers
• Demonstrated that family and science could coexist
• Provided practical advice
• Advocated for them professionally
• Helped them navigate difficult decisions

Several also highlighted the value of simply seeing other successful academic mothers. Role models expanded what felt possible.

10. They Refuse to Accept the "Either/Or" Narrative

Perhaps the most important commonality was psychological.

Despite acknowledging the challenges, these women largely rejected the idea that one must choose between being a serious scientist and being a committed parent.

Instead, they viewed family and research as two important parts of a meaningful life.

Many described their children as bringing perspective, joy, efficiency, resilience, and purpose that ultimately enhanced their careers rather than detracted from them. The message was not that parenting makes academia easy. It was that the two can coexist when supported by the right structures, relationships, and mindset.

Back to Becky:

Looking through some of these case studies and reading the 10 key common traits the thing that struck me as central was the deliberate choices made within a mindset of what are my values, where am I trying to go, how can I maximise what I contribute to the world, which includes my family, not what is the traditional path that others think I should follow.

If you're struggling to get clear on what you really want and how you'll get there check out our Artemis Project coaching page.