When Your Manager Works in a Different Time Zone: How to Coordinate Without Burning Out

Working with a boss in a different time zone is like playing a game of chess… but on separate clocks. When you start your day, they may be ending theirs—and vice versa. This means that any poorly timed communication can delay tasks by an entire day.

At first, this time difference can feel like a huge barrier. I remember when I first started working with a manager who was seven hours behind me. I’d send a message in the morning and wouldn’t get a reply until it was almost time for me to log off. The result? Projects moved much slower than they could have.

The solution started with something simple: mapping out our overlapping hours. In our case, we had only two hours a day when we were both working at the same time. Those two hours became sacred for handling urgent matters, having quick check-ins, and making decisions that couldn’t wait.

We also adopted tools that allowed us to maintain smooth communication without relying solely on immediate responses:

• Google Docs to work on documents in real time or leave clear comments.

• Slack with scheduled messages so they would arrive at the best time for him.

• Shared calendars with dual time zone visibility to avoid confusion.

Another trick that works incredibly well is setting the stage before their workday begins—leaving tasks, documents, and questions ready so that when they start working, they have everything they need to move forward without waiting for me to be online.

And most importantly, setting clear expectations. Agreeing on what’s urgent and what can wait prevents both of us from feeling chained to our phones or inboxes at odd hours.

Working with a boss in a different time zone doesn’t have to be chaotic. With planning, the right tools, and clear routines, you can actually turn that time difference into an advantage: while they sleep, you make progress; while you rest, they review. And just like that, the work never stops.