Keep your notebook clock unchanged and other essential tips for working from a different time zone
Try to have at least three days off when you arrive at your new location
I recently spent a month in Rome, working four hours ahead of my usual BrasÃlia time zone. Having a job with specified hours meant I had to make some adjustments. Here are the key takeaways from that experience.
First, keeping the laptop synced with the work time zone was rule number one. It helped a lot in keeping track of crucial meetings without any confusion.
The initial days are crucial for adjusting to the new time zone. If you can afford it, plan to have at least three days off when you arrive at your new location.
Life feels completely different if you're ahead or behind in time. For me, starting work at 10 am in Brazil, which was 2 pm in Rome, was comfortable. The more I synced up with the local time, the more I could make the most of my day. I could get up around 10 am/11 am in Rome (6 am/7 am in Brazil), which is pretty early (considering I usually rise at 9 am in Brazil). That gave me a satisfactory three to four hours before diving into work, and trust me, that was fantastic. I'd have breakfast, stroll in the park, go to the gym, do some grocery shopping, and still have time to cook.
But if you're behind in the time zone, it means an early rise. I'd need to get up at 6 am local time if I were four hours behind. The upside, though, is finishing up work super early (I'd be done at 2 pm in this example, considering I stop at 6 pm in Brazil) and having the rest of the day to myself. So, sleep early becomes crucial to ensure enough rest.
When you're four hours ahead, you must not burn yourself out before work starts because working until late (10 pm in Rome) can drain you. There were days when, even though I hadn't done anything particularly exhausting, by 9 pm I was running low on energy; meanwhile, in Brazil it was still 5 pm, and everyone was less tired.
Initially, I was sticking to Brazil's meal schedule. I'd have a late breakfast in Rome (12 pm/1 pm) and lunch at my usual time in Brazil (around 1 pm in Brazil, 5 pm in Rome). My body was not satisfied. Things improved when I managed to have breakfast earlier (around 10 am/11 am) in Rome. I'd use my lunch break for a snack, some rest, and sometimes a quick trip to the gym.
Oh, let me tell you about hitting the gym at lunchtime. It's an absolute stress-buster from work. The rush of hormones would have me bouncing back to work feeling like a teenager. But the downside? I spent 10 minutes getting to and from the gym, leaving only 40 minutes for a workout. It was a bit rushed, but definitely worth it.
Be careful with the coffee break! I usually take one at 4 pm in Brazil, which is 8 pm in Rome. One day, I had coffee during that break and couldn't sleep.
I was in Rome towards the end of autumn, so by 5 pm it was already pretty dark. Surprisingly, that was a good thing for me. It felt like I wasn't missing out on the vibrant life outside.
But Fridays... they were a bit tough. For most, the weekend had already begun, and I was in front of my computer until 10 pm. I planned to get ready during lunchtime, so the moment work was done, I was all set to hit the Roman nightlife. Another tip: try to organize your tasks at work as much as possible so you can clock out right at 10 pm. Unexpected stuff can show up, so it's wise to avoid procrastination.
As I mentioned earlier in this newsletter, there's a downside to working in Rome, but stopping work in Rome? That's where the magic happens. Life in different time zones can be extraordinary. I hope these tips come in handy for you to enjoy it as much as I did!
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