One of the practical challenges our Digital Nomad parents face is how best to manage their work across different time zones. Whilst this takes a little bit of forward-planning and organisational skills, it certainly isn’t a blocker to slow travel whilst working remotely.
Check out Boundless Life’s 8 tips for navigating time zones like a boss!
1. Account for Jet Lag
This is especially true if it’s your first time travelling through time zones. Jet lag is not akin to normal tiredness and results in disrupted sleep patterns, grogginess and irritability. Get plenty of good rest before your trip, stay hydrated, and allow yourself and your family a few days to adjust before jumping into work. You’ll thank me later!
2. Adjust Your Schedule
This one sounds obvious but you can adjust your schedule to match the time zone of the place you are in. For example, if you are staying in Bali with Boundless Life, you can try to shift your working hours to align with the time zone difference. This might mean working earlier in the morning or later at night, depending on the difference in time.
Here’s an example for someone working West Coast US (PT) hours from Bali:
🌞 8am - 10am Bali (5pm - 7pm PT)
Time to respond to anything urgent that comes through from the end of the business day over on the West Coast. Emails looking quieter today? Take a stroll to the Education Centre to drop the kids off at 8.45am.
🌎 10am - 12pm Bali (7pm - 9pm PT)
You can use this time to catch up on emails and tasks, or take a moment to plan your day ahead. Grab a healthy and delicious breakfast at the Coworking Hub to get your day off to a great start!
🍜 12pm - 1pm (9pm - 10pm PT)
Take a stroll along Sanur’s beautiful seafront promenade and pick a venue for a lunch date with your significant other. Grab a reviving coffee whilst you catch up on any messages.
🚫 1pm - 5pm (10pm - 2am PT)
Do not disturb! A block of time for you to complete projects and tasks. On top of things? Of course you are! You can pick the kids up from the Education Centre at 3.30pm and head for ice cream, but don’t spoil your dinner!
🥂 5pm - 8pm (2am - 5am PT)
Dinner time with the family in your Boundless Home before catching up with other Boundless Life families to play football on the beach and watch the sunset.
😴 8pm onwards - I’m not going to tell you when to go to bed! (5am onwards PT)
Bank those lovely sleep hours in order to…
🌞 8am - 10am Bali (5pm - 7pm PT)
…do it all again in beautiful Bali!
3. Technology is Your Friend
Use tools such as time zone converters, online calendars, and scheduling apps to help you stay organised and manage your schedule across different time zones. Online calendars, in particular, are an essential tool to avoid scheduling mishaps - especially when factoring in Daylight Savings Time changes in some locations.
4. Plan Ahead
Plan your work schedule and prioritise your tasks ahead of time. This will help you stay on track and make the most of your time in each location. Before you go, make sure your team members and customers (as required) are aware of your travel plans, and your new time zone, and know how to reach you if necessary.
It’s also good practice to communicate preferred contact methods e.g. email vs. phone vs. Slack vs. video conferencing and set expectations around response times to account for time differences.
5. Find a Good Work Environment
Finding a comfortable and productive work environment is crucial to staying focused and motivated. Look for co-working spaces or cafes with reliable internet, comfortable seating, and a quiet atmosphere. Luckily, Boundless Life’s Coworking Hub in Bali ticks all these boxes for you and more - so no need to cafe-surf in search of an internet connection!
6. Take a Breath
Don't forget to take breaks and explore the local culture and sights in the places you visit. Taking time to recharge will help you stay motivated and inspired. Boundless’ community programming means you will never be short of activities and experiences when you are taking some downtime from work. The weekly yoga and meditation session, for example, is bound to leave you feeling refreshed and ready to tackle anything.
Remote Work guru, Rowena Herrigan, is a big advocate for establishing feel-good habits to avoid burn-out and truly maximise your whole remote-working experience. Here is Rowena’s article on staying healthy and catching those zzz’s using her top tips, routines and rituals.
7. Stay Connected
Keep in touch with your colleagues and clients back home by scheduling regular check-ins via video conferencing. This will help you feel connected and on top of things. It may be necessary to schedule meetings further in advance than you normally would to ensure all attendees’ calendars can sync up.
8. Be Flexible
Being a digital nomad often requires flexibility and adaptability. Be open to a bit of change and be prepared to adjust your schedule and work environment as needed. It might take a few days but, with some refinement, you will soon settle into a rhythm that works for you, your family and your customers and team
Chat with us about relocating your work to Blissful Bali! We can assure you that the jet lag and time zone adjustments will be more than worth it 😉
