Strange hours working abroad

Has anyone worked remotely at strange hours due to being a digital nomad?
I work remotely from ~8 am to 5 pm EST and I am wondering how it would be to for example work 2 pm to 11 pm in Europe or 12 am to 7 am (Tues to Saturday) in Australia.

Maybe my company would adjust hours for me but I was hired specifically to work with USA firms lol.

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  1. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    Yeah, it's just like doing shift work without having to change shifts.
    It will partially frick up your daily life, as changing between work schedule and regular schedule is taxing on your body.

    14:00 to 23:00 is entirely doable for a night owl, you just have to get used to the fact that you have your daily free time before work instead of the traditional after work.
    Finishing at 23:00 still lets you go out on Friday and let you live a fairly normal life during weekends.

    00:00 to 07:00 will be much more challenging if you desire to connect with people living normal lives and you will have to make sure to catch up on sunlight, e.g. by sleeping twice a day.

  2. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    I used to work from 4 pm to 1 pm. It was fine because I kept a somewhat normal sleep schedule (work until 1, bed by 3, wake up around 9-11 am). I think it would've been harder if I worked true overnights and had to sleep all day.

  3. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    Yeah do 11PM->7AM in Japan, actually was pretty nice because was up early and ready to knock all the shit out for the day, could usually snooze a bit during work for my "lunch".

    >Maybe my company would adjust hours for me but I was hired specifically to work with USA firms lol.
    homie your company is going to probably want you to work in a similar timezone as the rest of the company. You choosing to go out of your way to be outside that of EST/CST/MST/PST standard ain't their problem.

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      What time did you sleep in Japan?

      • 1 year ago
        Anonymous

        Depended on what I wanted to do
        Recently it was 11PM->7AM work
        7AM-3PM Do frick all I want for the day
        3-4PM head home
        4ish PM->1030/11PM sleep

        Sometimes would snooze during my "lunch" around 3am-4am sometimes only having my phone on loud for a message to wake me up sometimes could get some extra sleep. Was nice because I could basically be on one of the first trains often going the opposite direction OUT of the main business/school districts making the train rides easy. Would get back before the main post work rush wherever I was in Japan, and then be able to snooze pretty easily, till 11PM or whenever my work pinged me.

        Europe duirng the summer I just told them I was working West Coast timezone so 5PM->11PM was my normal "work" day, just woke up at 7-8AM did my shit, would stay out till work called and if it was urgent flip out my tablet sign in and do some quick work or emails to appear online till I could get back to my main latpop.

        Given my job is mostly project based with everything else automated at this point it's fairly easy.

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      >homie your company is going to probably want you to work in a similar timezone as the rest of the company. You choosing to go out of your way to be outside that of EST/CST/MST/PST standard ain't their problem.
      Uh yeah that's what I said my guy...

      • 1 year ago
        Anonymous

        Yeah so what's the point of this thread? You're going to have to conform for the hours your business wanted, did you honestly think DN just meant you could hit enter a few times on the beach in under the sun and piss off like it was a vacation?

        Lmao.

        • 1 year ago
          Anonymous

          the point of this thread was asking what it was like to work at strange times... exactly what the title says. Not sure why this is difficult

          • 1 year ago
            Anonymous

            >the point of this thread was asking what it was like to work at strange times...
            yeah where I am confused is that this is a self answering question, you're just working in a different timezone which could be night/morning/evening. Did you never have a late shift job in high school or something?

            It's literally doing the exact same remote work you do at home or whatever, just in another timezone.
            You match the hours you need to work as per your company when planning to go somewhere.
            Build a schedule around it for things you actually want to do.
            Go there.
            Work, then go out and do frick all.

            This is such a basic "how do I work in another timezone" question it's mind boggling that it needs to be asked.

            • 1 year ago
              Anonymous

              Why are you so triggered that I'm asking a question? I've never done this, I don't know what it's like to work at such a weird time in a foreign country, I know very little about being a digital nomad.

              funny you are telling me how pointless this question was right after you gave a helpful answer in

              Yeah do 11PM->7AM in Japan, actually was pretty nice because was up early and ready to knock all the shit out for the day, could usually snooze a bit during work for my "lunch".

              >Maybe my company would adjust hours for me but I was hired specifically to work with USA firms lol.
              homie your company is going to probably want you to work in a similar timezone as the rest of the company. You choosing to go out of your way to be outside that of EST/CST/MST/PST standard ain't their problem.

              and

              Depended on what I wanted to do
              Recently it was 11PM->7AM work
              7AM-3PM Do frick all I want for the day
              3-4PM head home
              4ish PM->1030/11PM sleep

              Sometimes would snooze during my "lunch" around 3am-4am sometimes only having my phone on loud for a message to wake me up sometimes could get some extra sleep. Was nice because I could basically be on one of the first trains often going the opposite direction OUT of the main business/school districts making the train rides easy. Would get back before the main post work rush wherever I was in Japan, and then be able to snooze pretty easily, till 11PM or whenever my work pinged me.

              Europe duirng the summer I just told them I was working West Coast timezone so 5PM->11PM was my normal "work" day, just woke up at 7-8AM did my shit, would stay out till work called and if it was urgent flip out my tablet sign in and do some quick work or emails to appear online till I could get back to my main latpop.

              Given my job is mostly project based with everything else automated at this point it's fairly easy.

              ... if it was so pointless of a question why did you have so much to say?

              • 1 year ago
                Anonymous

                >I don't know what it's like to work at such a weird time in a foreign country
                It's the exact same as working for a company in another timezone. Is this like your first job, how do you handle yourself working remote currently. It's exactly that though the sun might not be shining.

              • 1 year ago
                Anonymous

                its not the same you fricking tard. maybe if all you do in your free time is stay inside playing video games all day it is the same, but outside stores and bars close, people go to sleep, and buses/trains stop running. Working at 3 am? cant go to the coffee shop. can't go out for lunch. Dumbass

              • 1 year ago
                Anonymous

                >cant go to the coffee shop. can't go out for lunch
                Oh no you have to pick up some kind of small snack or meal to put in a fridge till you need it... The horror of basic adult task such as... going to a super market or convenience store and thinking a few hours ahead of what you might need.

                Do you only eat out lmao?

                I am curious about this as well. I am based in NYC but work with folks in Europe and the west coast. Japan is pretty much the exact opposite from me (12 hrs difference.) I would literally do the graveyard shift if I travel to Japan. Anyone has done this in Japan for extended amount of time?

                Japan is full easy mode.

                It's by far the easiest to start with if you are exactly ~12hrs off makes it easy to plan around, the only drawback is doing cheap hostels may not be doable if you need to do calls/web meetings.
                9PM-5AM, trains start at 530 to 545 depending on the city you are in. You'll be at pretty much any attraction among the first there only really needing to battle with old people and the possible school trip tour.
                Get back to your hotel around 3-4PM, sleep a bit, wake up for work
                During the weekends if you want to stay out late, just sleep after work for a bit and be ready to roll.

              • 1 year ago
                Anonymous

                Won't you have to give up Friday nights? Sounds like a hard no for me. You only get two nights to really go out every weekend. At least in Europe, work ends at 11. In Spain they're practically finishing up dinner at that time.

              • 1 year ago
                Anonymous

                >Won't you have to give up Friday nights?
                It's honestly not that big a deal as many businesses are still working with EU/NA customers so believe it or not friday night isn't always the night where most shit goes on. Depends on your work schedule, if you can work 4x10's not a big deal, if 9-5 firm eh harder. If I really needed it I would just "request the day off" for friday nights and roll.

                It's part of being a Digital Nomad you give some to get some, regardless where you go. Personally I had no issue making Saturday a fun go hard day, Chill and day drink a bit sunday, have a good amount of hangover recovery monday. The cities in Japan I went to Saturday nights were always the better nights than fridays, sundays were almost as good.

              • 1 year ago
                Anonymous

                What was your social life like, since you're free primarily during work/school hours? Was it mostly hanging out with other expats and tourists who were working odd hours or on vacation?

              • 1 year ago
                Anonymous

                >What was your social life like,
                Depends what I am trying to do and reason for visiting
                Weekdays I like to actually see the sights of where I am, so if say Japan visiting historical sites, hiking various trails, seeing morning markets, go shopping if I want, museums and what not. Pretty easy to get a ton of useful advice from the older locals or people who have odd schedules not working the daily 9-5 mon-fri grind.
                If I want to meet more people I'll just adjust my sleep schedule a bit so I wake up around 7PM, go somewhere have some beers+food and just walk it off on my way back to my hotel/room. 2-3 beers over a few hours won't make a dent by the time you need to work.
                Weekdays go to the bars and events that take place largely on Saturday and Sunday with friends I know from online or made during the week.

                If I want to be more sociable I work in a private room of a hostel, go down to the common area and chill. Have work email+chat on my phone, if something comes up just say need to take care of something and bounce.

                >Was it mostly hanging out with other expats and tourists who were working odd hours or on vacation?
                Nah I have a healthy mix of locals and other travelers over the past few years I've been doing it. Your average local that you'll hang out with to any reasonable level over bar talk isn't going to be getting shitfaced on a workday night.

                Once you drop the notion of thinking Digital Nomad is just vacation+slight work, it's really easy to plan around and enjoy yourself. If you think that Digital Nomad/work abroad just means answer a few emails then frick off, you're going to end up in shitville. Build your schedule around your work hours, follow it up with reasons to be in said country/area. If you can't do that, don't bother working abroad as it will just piss you off.

            • 1 year ago
              Anonymous

              OP wanted to hear experiences of working in another timezone abroad, e.g. if it's worth going abroad even if you will end up not working the usual 9-5.
              The general consensus of the thread is that it's worth it if you can structure your day well.

  4. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    I am curious about this as well. I am based in NYC but work with folks in Europe and the west coast. Japan is pretty much the exact opposite from me (12 hrs difference.) I would literally do the graveyard shift if I travel to Japan. Anyone has done this in Japan for extended amount of time?

  5. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    this is my normal life. i try to work mainly on local time but quite a lot of the time i'm either in asia and working on european time, or in the uk and working on asian time. it's not really a big deal. i like working when the rest of the place is quiet (i have an office in a local business centre) and the only minor problem is that i have to plan ahead what food i'm taking with me so i don't get stuck with nothing to eat at 1am. other than that it's fine.

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