GMT + 8
I had only been freelancing for six months prior to making the move from my home in the UK here to Perth in Western Australia. I was lucky enough to be able to take the majority of my freelance work with me, and whilst this has allowed me to be in the enviable position of working for myself in this beautiful part of the world, I have had to adapt quickly to the challenges which come with operating in a timezone almost a full working day ahead of colleagues.
The Swan River, Perth. Working in this beautiful part of the world has plenty of upsides, but there are still some practicalities to bear in mind
The Internet and modern technology make collaboration from one side of the world to the other relatively seamless, but that’s not to say there aren’t still practical difficulties to overcome.
So here are a few simple rules that I like to try and stick to as I work GMT + 8.
PLAN WORK EFFICIENTLY
I used to love tackling my inbox first thing in the morning, but I have since modified my working style to ensure that I reserve these more ‘stop-start’ tasks for the afternoon, once the UK wakes up and am I more likely to be juggling calls, chats and emails.
I now find it much more productive to get on with the heavier work in the morning when I know there is very little risk of being interrupted, and then reserve some of the lighter tasks for the afternoon. This doesn’t always go to plan of course, but it is helpful as a general rule.
KNOW YOUR ‘CORE HOURS’
I need to have a constant awareness of the other time zones which I am dealing with and knowing when I am going to overlap with them during a normal working day. For me this is roughly 3-6pm, and these can be the most frantic, yet most productive, hours of the day – a large cup of tea is most definitely required.
It is also really important to be aware of when others are working and when I might receive an answer from them. This helps avoid embarrassing situations when you ask for work by close of play, and they are about to log off. The opposite can also occur and so I like to make it clear where and when I work on my email signature (this goes for public holidays too!).
DON’T FEEL GUILTY ABOUT FINISHING FOR THE DAY
I struggle with this, especially as I deal mostly with the UK who are just getting into their day when I finish up at 5 or 6pm. If I’m not careful I can get caught up in email conversations, or find myself agreeing to look at one final task. Obviously I’m happy to be flexible, but when I do log off, I find it important to switch off all notifications on my phone as well as shutting down my laptop.
I did initially feel guilty about leaving emails unanswered, but then had to remind myself that I’ve been up working for a full day and now it is my turn to switch off.
When the sun is setting over me, the UK is just beginning lunch
CLEAR AND CONSISTENT COMMUNICATION
This might sound really obvious, but I’ve definitely learnt the hard way that it is an essential part of effective working. After my initial confusion in trying to set up conversations using the somewhat clunky ‘my time’ and ‘your time’, I’ve learnt to simply stick to GMT (admittedly a little formal when ringing mum, but it works!). This also helps to avoid the neverending pitfall of daylight savings around the world.
MAKE A POINT OF CONNECTING
This is definitely something I’ve learnt the benefit of since starting with Huckleberry Partners. I don’t think I realised quite how isolated working alone was for me until I started having regular conversations and connections with others. Having a 15 minute call at the start of my ‘core hours’ can be much more productive than answering an inbox full of questions, and I also find I really enjoy taking the time to speak to other members of the team and touching base.
Helen Cook is a Hoxby Associate and a freelance book editor. She previously worked for Oxford University Press and specialises in developing educational material. Originally from the UK, Helen has recently relocated to Perth, Australia with her Australian fiancé and is now getting to know her adoptive country, enjoying the outdoor lifestyle and learning to call flip flops ‘thongs’.