Timezone Q&A
How do I schedule a meeting across three time zones?
Pick the date first, list each location with working hours, find the smallest shared overlap, then rotate the meeting slot if the overlap is too narrow. Do not rely on one converted time alone.
Start with constraints
For three time zones, the limiting factor is not arithmetic. It is who gets pushed outside normal working hours.
Use a single source of truth
Write the invite with all relevant local times so nobody recalculates from memory.
Know when to go async
If there is no shared working-hour overlap, record an async update or rotate attendance instead of forcing a recurring late-night meeting.
How to make the tradeoff explicit
After you find the overlap, write down who is outside normal hours and how often that happens. If the answer is the same team every week, the schedule is not neutral. Use a rotation rule, split the meeting into regional sessions, or move status updates into a written handoff before forcing attendance.
Examples
- New York, London, and Singapore rarely share a comfortable full-team window.
- A decision meeting may work live, while status updates should move async.
Before you send it
- List each location and local working hours before converting times.
- Decide whether the meeting is for status, discussion, or a decision.
- Write the rotation rule if someone must attend outside normal hours.
- Check the two locations with the least overlap first, then add the third region to the plan.
- If no slot fits, split the meeting into regional sessions instead of stretching one global call.
- Put the final invite in every required attendee location, not only the organizer timezone.