How to Find the Best Meeting Times Across Time Zones

Scheduling meetings across time zones is one of the biggest challenges for global teams. Here are proven strategies to make it easier.

The Golden Rule: Overlap Hours

The key is finding hours where all participants are within reasonable working hours (typically 8 AM to 6 PM local time).

Strategy 1: Rotating Meeting Times

Instead of always favoring one timezone, rotate the meeting time so the inconvenience is shared equally among all team members.

Strategy 2: Core Overlap Hours

For US East Coast to Central Europe:

• 9 AM - 12 PM ET = 3 PM - 6 PM CET (good overlap)
• 8 AM ET = 2 PM CET (early but acceptable for both)

For US West Coast to Asia:

• Evening PST = Morning Asia (the next day)
• Consider async communication for non-urgent matters

Strategy 3: Use Tools

MeetZone's Meeting Planner helps you visualize overlap between multiple cities and find the best times automatically.

Best Practices

1. Send calendar invites with timezone info
2. Use a consistent timezone reference (UTC) in written communication
3. Be mindful of DST transitions
4. Consider recording meetings for those who can't attend