At our company we have a benefit called “work from anywhere.” It lets each employee work outside the UK for one month a year. I’m using mine to work from Toronto.
Combining rich city life with breathtaking nature, Toronto ticks every travel box. (Photo: Destination Ontario, via The Independent)
We always want as much shared working time as possible between an employee and their team. With the five-hour difference between the UK and Canada, that shared window is only three hours. So I started working from 6 AM to 2 PM to make the most of it.
Two usable halves
Waking up at 6 AM is frustrating, at least the first time. But then I realized something. When I finish at around 2 PM, I’ve already done eight hours of work (with a short break), and I still have plenty of time before night. So I spend it with my family and friends, visiting new places, and even running errands like shopping outside the busy hours.
The difference sounds small, but when you live it you see that your day splits into two usable halves: eight hours in the morning and eight in the afternoon. During this trip I found myself more productive, spent more time with family, saw more friends, and visited more places. I had a great time.
The start was the hard part. But after a few days I got used to it. I even woke up at the right time on my own, without an alarm.
Time is the one thing everyone has equally. No one can make more of it. But during this month I felt I was finally using mine well.
Not a new idea
This isn’t a new idea. In many Eastern countries, traditional workers like the sellers in the bazaars have done the same for a long time: they start early, work until noon, go home for lunch and a rest, then open up again and work into the evening.
Here’s the thinking. If you start your day in the morning, by night you’re worn out and need a long sleep. But if you start early, rest in the afternoon, and treat what’s left as a fresh start, you may not need such a long sleep to feel ready the next morning.
These aren’t facts, just things I noticed, and they seem to work. When I’m back in the UK I’m going to keep trying it, and see if I can use my time better while feeling less tired and more productive.