To download a printable version of this transcript, click here.
 
 
iQuestions Faculty, Pat Gelsinger 
 
 
Question: 
 
When is it necessary to spend less time at work and more time with 
the family? What can be done if one's work responsibilities make 
spending less time at work impossible? 
 
Answer:  
 
How do you know when you’re spending too much time at work and 
not enough with the family? One thing probably that your spouse or 
family will do is give you feedback. 
 
One time we were at the dinner table, and my daughter—who was 
maybe ten or eleven years old at the time—asked me, “So, how many 
days are you going to travel this week, Dad?” and I answered her. 
“How many late meetings this week? How many customer dinners do 
you have?” Boy, I felt like I was being put before the grand inquisition. 
By daughter was starting to drill me on everything that might take my 
away from the home at night. 
 
All of a sudden, it was a wake-up call: “Oh. I’ve been away too much.” 
 
One thing about the workplace is, it will always be asking for more. If 
you’re good, if you’re successful, if you’re a capable employee, the 
work will always ask for more. And that’s part of what their job is, to 
get more, be more efficient, be productive. You have to draw that line, 
because the workplace naturally will be wanting just a little bit more.  
 
One of the important things for us as a family was getting home on 
time at night. My family doesn’t care if I start at 4 or 5 in the morning. 
 
 
They care a lot if I’m home in the evening hours. Prioritize those. Make 
those important to them.  
 
Find ways on a regular basis to get home on time. Sometimes, just 
end the meeting. Maybe you have to leave the meeting. Maybe you 
have to skip a trip. 
 
It might not be the best thing for your career sometimes, but far more 
important than your career this week is your family this week. You’ve 
just got to make some of those tough tradeoffs, to put family back in 
the proper priority that they deserve.  
Gelsinger -2- 
To download a printable version of this transcript, click here.