For a lot of executives, climbing to the highest of the company ladder comes with clear perks—nook places of work, huge salaries, and the power to steer technique in actual time. It additionally signifies that work isn’t removed from thoughts.
For Cisco’s chief product officer, Jeetu Patel, that actuality interprets into working seven days per week, sometimes beginning round 6 a.m. and generally stretching previous midnight. But even with marathon days, Patel insists his model of steadiness solely works as a result of he units strict guardrails.
His first rule: no conferences earlier than 9 a.m., until the invite comes from CEO Chuck Robbins or the Cisco board. These early hours, earlier than the solar is even up, give him time to plan his objectives and give attention to high-impact work.
“Selecting the very best high quality issues that you simply need to spend your time fixing is 90% of the battle,” Patel instructed Fortune. “As a result of the standard of downside that you simply choose to resolve is definitely instantly proportional to the result that you simply’re going to have.”
Even with an around-the-clock schedule, Patel acknowledged that steadiness isn’t static. There are intervals in life when private affairs demand extra consideration—and that’s okay. For instance, earlier than his mom handed away in 2023, he spent eight weeks at her facet within the hospital, barely working.
“You need to work out a strategy to guarantee that it really works for you, and you need to guarantee that the individuals round you suppose that that’s okay, and you need to create that system for your self. I don’t suppose anybody else can create it for you.”
Work often comes first—however with two exceptions
Even in weeks when Patel is working 18-hour days, there’s one one who can pull him away from work: his 14-year-old daughter.
“I nonetheless work seven days per week however my daughter is allowed to return into any assembly and ask me for something—she will be able to simply stroll in,” he stated. “She doesn’t must knock on the door. She will simply stroll up anytime.”
Patel takes the identical non-negotiable strategy to staying wholesome, even when he admits it’s not an ideal routine.
“I really really feel like my very own well being is necessary and extra necessary than the rest,” Patel instructed Fortune. “And if you happen to try this proper, then you definately do have the power to deal with your loved ones, you do have the power to work. However if you happen to put your well being final, then I feel sooner or later in time that goes sideways fairly quick.”
Patel’s exercise routine is modest—he tries to get in no less than 20 to half-hour a day—however consistency is his final purpose as a result of no two days can look the identical in enterprise.
“There are occasions after I’ll fluctuate in weight and I really feel fairly shitty about myself,” he stated. “Then I’ll attempt to get utterly into it. Proper now, I’m someplace within the center. I’m not in nice form, however I’m not in horrible form. You simply must just remember to preserve adjusting.”
Tech leaders work across the clock—however staff need steadiness
For Patel and different tech executives, lengthy hours are sometimes a necessity. Fierce competitors, speedy product cycles, and the tempo of innovation go away little room for downtime. The thought of work-life steadiness is commonly considered as aspirational fairly than attainable.
Cisco’s chief individuals, coverage, and objective officer, Francine Katsoudas, wrote in 2021: “There’s not a delineation between work and life. ‘Steadiness’ went away years in the past,” advocating as a substitute for empathetic groups and leaders, particularly on the subject of psychological well being.
But youthful staff could really feel in a different way. The Randstad 2025 Workmonitor report discovered that work-life steadiness is the highest issue expertise considers of their present or future job. About 83% of respondents listed it as a key consideration—proper behind job safety—with pay rating third at 82%. Within the research’s 22-year historical past, it’s the primary time work-life steadiness has surpassed pay as an incentive.
For his half, Patel is skeptical about balancing the whole lot, if it wasn’t already clear from his punishing work schedule.
“In my thoughts, high quality of life and work life steadiness, I don’t suppose these issues are evenly distributed,” he stated.
