Being a leader at one of the largest tech companies in the world is certainly a challenge, but for Joel Levinson, what was even more challenging was searching for any semblance of work-life balance. After 30-hour trips around the world to locations which Levinson says he “will likely never see again,” he decided that the all-consuming work he was doing wasn’t worth the mental strain it caused him. Since leaving, he’s moved from Arizona to Vancouver, BC in search of a job that both satisfied his desire for a demanding, enjoyable position and his desire to spend more time with his wife and his two young children.
In this episode, Levinson discusses how being a leader doesn’t just involve leading a team but also managing yourself, emphasizing the importance of mental health along the way.
Episode Notes:
4:00 – Everything was great, until…
7:00 – Deciding to leave a great position at Intel
12:00 – Prioritizing family after leaving
14:00 – Getting a callback for a new job in 24 hours
17:30 – Same Stuff, Different Job
20:00 – Trying to maintain that desire to achieve
21:30 – Finding the work/life balance sweet spot
24:00 – Recalibrating priorities
29:00 – Figuring out “do I have the right balance?”
32:00 – Focusing on more than just “achievement”
LINKS
Joel Levinson on LinkedIn
CREDITS
Produced by Kai Hellberg
Music by Isaac Chambers – ‘Change’