The rise in telecommuting means that nowadays, many are working with colleagues or clients in different time zones. Here are some strategies for keeping on top of time differences, so work stays on track.

1.      Know your time zones. Use tools like World Time Buddy or Google Calendar’s time zone feature to keep track of everyone’s locations. Use these tools to avoid scheduling video meetings at inconvenient hours. 

2.      Alternate meeting times. One group or person shouldn’t always have to attend a video meeting at an odd hour. Varying meeting times to accommodate people’s time zones shows respect and understanding for others.

3.      Plan ahead. Send out meeting invites early and communicate deadlines clearly, giving people as much time as possible to meet them. 

4.      Set boundaries. Collaborating with people in other time zones can extend your workday. Make it clear to those outside your time zone when you are available, perhaps using calendar tools to show your work hours. And respect others’ time boundaries as well. 

5.      Minimize meetings. When working across multiple time zones, lots of meetings can lead to burnout. Only hold video meetings when they are truly necessary and rely on email and project management tools to keep communication flowing. 

6.      Don’t expect immediate responses. Different time zones means that your “urgent” message may be dropping into someone’s inbox while they’re sleeping, so adjust your expectations accordingly.

7.      Establish overlapping hours. Create a set of core hours, even if it’s just a couple, where everyone on your team should be online.

For more advice, read “Best Practices for Working Across Different Time Zones.”