- I love how connected our world has become. It's easy for me in Salt Lake City to video conference with leaders in Dubai, companies in Australia, collaborate and work with employees in New York, and everyone around the world seems to have business dealings in China. The world truly has become flat. However, this cross-boundary connectivity has also created a risk for distraction. Switch-tasking, the constant switching of attention is the enemy of your ability to stay focused and do your best work.
And when you work with people on the other side of the world, you're opening yourself up to distractions at pretty much any hour of the day. Let's talk about a few things that we can do to maintain your time management and your sanity while working effectively with people in different time zones. First, when consistently working with people in different time zones, it's helpful to keep a clock of that time zone handy. A lot of phones have apps that allow you to show different time zones on your home screen or you can just simply buy a cheap clock, set it up to another time zone, and put it on your desk.
This awareness helps to create a little bit of sensitivity when you try to communicate with others. I have team members throughout the world and when I video conference with them and see that they have a clock on the wall set to my time zone, it helps me feel that they're aware and care about my needs. Second, when scheduling appointments with people in different time zones, I suggest you start by offering all appointment options in terms of the other person's time zone. Rather than making them try to figure it out, you do the work first to figure it out.
Not only does this show that you're aware of their needs, but it also goes a long way to reducing confusion. Third, if possible, find a consistent meeting time. Perhaps once a week where you connect with each other face to face or via voice. This is a good idea in general in any work place because it reduces switches in attention. A consistent recurring meeting has even greater value when working with people in other time zones because you're more likely to interrupt each other at inopportune times.
Last, create boundaries in your day. I sometimes refer to these as the start and finish lines of your work day, when work begins and work ends. When working with people in a different time zone, that may seem impractical yet it can be done often by having multiple start and finish lines to your day. For instance I might start work at 11 in the morning my time and go until six p.m. And then take a break from work from six until 10.
And then I might work again from 10 to midnight because those two hours overlap with my coworkers who are in a different country. Outside of those start and finish times, the morning until 11 and from six p.m. to 10 p.m., I want to remove distractions. I want to stop looking at email and keep myself disconnected from it. Why? Because giving myself a break from work and allowing myself to have time to relax or spend time with family will give me more energy and ability to be successful during the work hours that I've scheduled.
Working with people of diverse cultures in different time zones is a wonderful opportunity. You can make the most of this opportunity by establishing some simple boundaries.
Author
Updated
4/15/2019Released
4/11/2016Productivity expert Dave Crenshaw provides techniques on a wide variety of topics, designed to help people better manage their time and ultimately become more productive. Tune in to learn about everything from managing emails and calendars to setting priorities, collaborating with coworkers, reducing interruptions, crafting a "productivity mindset," and creating a more comfortable and effective work environment.
Have an idea for a future video from Dave? Submit it using our course feedback form. If you want more time management strategies now, we recommend watching Dave's Time Management Fundamentals course.
- Reducing interruptions
- Dealing with feeling overwhelmed
- Responding to quick questions
- Making the most of meetings
- Following up
- Implementing a closed door, open calendar policy
Skill Level Intermediate
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Introduction
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Welcome43s
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1. Time Management Tips
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Power tips for sending email3m 14s
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Positive procrastination3m 15s
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Remove the "busy" tag2m 58s
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Manage digital interruptions4m 19s
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Make the most of meetings2m 52s
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Follow up on delegated items2m 58s
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Become tech savvy4m 33s
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Focus on the person2m 37s
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Time management for students2m 59s
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Ending meetings with action1m 44s
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Building a not-to-do list2m 46s
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Avoiding the crowd mindset2m 58s
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Placing a value on your time3m 30s
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How to schedule a meeting3m 35s
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How to develop flexibility4m 19s
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The trouble with texting3m 48s
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Create a perhaps list4m 58s
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Reduce attention switches4m 46s
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Adapt your favorite app4m 33s
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Make time to get more time3m 49s
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Read vs. unread email3m 52s
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Make time to have fun3m 57s
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Create a morning ritual3m 23s
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When to create new homes3m 26s
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How to reduce spam3m 48s
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Why repetition saves time2m 48s
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Productive passwords2m 3s
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Productive web browser tips1m 51s
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Writing a productive email1m 55s
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Commit to your calendar1m 54s
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What to say instead of ASAP1m 46s
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Set voicemail expectations1m 43s
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Set email expectations1m 46s
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How to use an inbox1m 41s
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How to use an outbox1m 53s
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Video: Work across multiple time zones