This Cisco exec’s 7-day weeks and 18-hour days throw his work-life balance out of whack—but he makes two things non-negotiable

For many executives, climbing to the top of the corporate ladder comes with clear perks—corner offices, big salaries, and the ability to steer strategy in real time. It also means that work is never far from mind.

For Cisco’s chief product officer, Jeetu Patel, that reality translates into working seven days a week, typically starting around 6 a.m. and sometimes stretching past midnight. Yet even with marathon days, Patel insists his version of balance only works because he sets strict guardrails.

His first rule: no meetings before 9 a.m., unless the invite comes from CEO Chuck Robbins or the Cisco board. Those early hours, before the sun is even up, give him time to plan his goals and focus on high-impact work.

“Picking the highest quality problems that you want to spend your time solving is 90% of the battle,” Patel told Fortune. “Because the quality of problem that you pick to solve is actually directly proportional to the outcome that you’re going to have.”

Even with…