Juggling Time Zones

🔔 BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP.
The alarm goes off—for the fifth time.

I squint at my phone. 4:30 AM.

“Fuck. I have a client meeting with America in 30 minutes.“

I stumble out of bed, hit the coffee machine like it owes me money, and sit at my laptop—just in time.

But something’s off. The client isn’t there.
I check my calendar. The meeting is there.

“Wait a second.Hold on.”

America is a day behind Thailand.The meeting is for tomorrow.
So, here I am. 5 AM. Fully awake.

“Damn!!”

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Welcome to the Digital Nomad Time Zone Nightmare

If you’ve ever worked remotely with clients in America, Australia, and Europe (like I do), then you know the struggle:

What day is it?

What time is it there?

Have I had enough coffee to deal with this? (Spoiler: Never.)

Managing time zones as a digital nomad isn’t just a skill—it’s a survival mechanism. And after a few painful wake-up calls (literally), I’ve finally figured out how to juggle them without losing my sanity.

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Why Thailand is a Time Zone Cheat Code

Turns out, Thailand is a sneaky good spot for handling international clients. Here’s why:

Morning (8 AM – 12 PM ICT): Australian clients are awake, so I can check in with them before they log off.

Afternoon (12 PM – 6 PM ICT): Perfect overlap with Europe—when their day starts, mine is in full swing.

Evening (6 PM – Midnight ICT): This is when America wakes up, meaning I can still be available for them without working all night.

Basically, Thailand lets me have clients in three continents without sacrificing all of my sleep. Most of it, but not all.

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How I Stopped Screwing Up Time Zones (Most of the Time)

Of course, knowing a schedule and not messing it up are two different things.
Here’s how I finally got mind peace:

1. Added World Clocks to My Phone

Now, I have instant access to the time in San Francisco, Sydney, and Milan—no more guessing or doing bad math in my head.

2. Enabled Google Calendar’s Dual Time Zone Feature

I didn’t even know this existed. But now, my calendar shows both Thailand Time (ICT) and Pacific Time (PST).

One less way to self-sabotage.

3. Always Confirm in Client Time Zones

Before sending a meeting invite, I double-check that it’s showing up in their time zone—because nobody wants to hear, “Wait, was this today or tomorrow?”

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Final Thoughts: If You Take One Thing From This…

Use tech to help you. Your phone and calendar are smarter than you (and definitely smarter than me at 4:30 AM).

Set reminders with time zones included. Stop guessing.

Don’t kill yourself trying to be available 24/7. Clients can wait. Your sleep cannot.

Time zone nightmares are a rite of passage for remote workers. But once you get the hang of it, you won’t have to wake up in a panic anymore.

(Or at least, not as often.)

————

Veronica,
currently in Koh Samui,
“where the ocean is calling and I’m pretending not to hear it (for now).”