For numerous leaders, ascending to the top of the corporate ladder brings distinct advantages—executive suites, substantial compensation, and the capacity to direct initiatives immediately. It also signifies that professional duties are perpetually present.
TL;DR
- Cisco's Jeetu Patel works seven days a week, starting early and often working past midnight.
- He sets firm boundaries, like no meetings before 9 a.m. unless from CEO Chuck Robbins.
- Patel prioritizes his health and his daughter, recognizing life's demands can shift focus.
- He believes quality of life and work-life balance are not evenly distributed for executives.
For Cisco’s chief product officer, Jeetu Patel, that situation means dedicating seven days a week to work, usually commencing near 6 a.m. And occasionally extending beyond midnight. Nevertheless, even with extended workdays, Patel maintains his approach to balance is effective solely due to his establishment of firm boundaries.
His primary directive: no scheduled discussions prior to 9 a.m., unless the invitation originates from CEO Chuck Robbins or the Cisco governing body. Those initial hours, before dawn breaks, afford him the opportunity to strategize his objectives and concentrate on tasks yielding significant results.
“Picking the highest quality problems that you want to spend your time solving is 90% of the battle,” Patel told Coins2Day. “Because the quality of problem that you pick to solve is actually directly proportional to the outcome that you’re going to have.”
Despite working continuously, Patel recognized that equilibrium isn't fixed. Life presents times when private matters require greater focus, and that's acceptable. For instance, prior to his mother passed away in 2023, he dedicated eight weeks to being with her in the hospital, hardly engaging in work.
“You have to figure out a way to make sure that it works for you, and you have to make sure that the people around you think that that’s okay, and you have to create that system for yourself. I don’t think anyone else can create it for you.”
Work typically takes precedence—except in two circumstances
Even during weeks when Patel is engaged in 18-hour workdays, there's a single individual capable of drawing him away from his professional duties: his 14-year-old daughter.
“I still work seven days a week but my daughter is allowed to come into any meeting and ask me for anything—she can just walk in,” he said. “She doesn’t have to knock on the door. She can just walk up anytime.”
Patel adopts an equally unyielding stance on maintaining his well-being, though he concedes his regimen isn't flawless.
“I actually feel like my own health is important and more important than anything else,” Patel told Coins2Day. “And if you do that right, then you do have the ability to take care of your family, you do have the ability to work. But if you put your health last, then I think at some point in time that goes sideways pretty fast.”
Patel's exercise regimen is straightforward—he aims for a minimum of 20 to 30 minutes daily—but maintaining regularity is his primary objective, as business operations are inherently unpredictable.
“There are times when I’ll fluctuate in weight and I feel pretty shitty about myself,” he said. “Then I’ll try to get completely into it. Right now, I’m somewhere in the middle. I’m not in great shape, but I’m not in terrible shape. You just have to make sure that you keep adjusting.”
Technology executives are busy 24/7, yet their employees are seeking a better work-life equilibrium.
For Patel and similar tech leaders, extended work periods are frequently a requirement. Intense rivalry, swift product development phases, and the speed of new ideas offer minimal opportunity for rest. The concept of work-life balance is commonly seen as something to strive for, rather than something achievable.
Cisco’s chief people, policy, and purpose officer, Francine Katsoudas, wrote in 2021: “There’s not a delineation between work and life. ‘Balance’ went away years ago,” advocating instead for empathetic teams and leaders, especially when it comes to mental health.
However, those in younger demographics might hold a different perspective. The Randstad 2025 Workmonitor report indicated that work-life balance is the top factor talent considers in their present or prospective employment. Approximately 83% of participants identified it as a primary factor—just after job stability—with compensation coming in at 82%. Throughout the survey's 22-year duration, this marks the inaugural instance where a harmonious work-life equilibrium has outranked salary as a motivator.
Patel, for his part, expresses doubt regarding the feasibility of achieving equilibrium, a sentiment that was likely evident from his demanding professional commitments.
“In my mind, quality of life and work life balance, I don’t think those things are evenly distributed,” he said.