Is your recurring meeting time still right?
A colleague overseas moved their clocks, and your regular call may now land somewhere awkward.
Malaysia keeps the same clock all year, but some of the countries we work with do not. When they change their clocks, your recurring meeting can slide to a time that eats into your dinner or your sleep. The fix is a quick check, then a short, friendly message.
You do not need to put up with it silently, and you do not need to make it a big issue either.
Why does a meeting move when only the other country changed its clocks?
Because the invite is usually tied to one location’s local time. If the organiser sits in a country that shifts its clocks, the meeting stays at that local time and moves, in effect, for you.
Your calendar may even show the same hour for a while, then catch up later. That gap is where people turn up an hour early or miss the call.
How do I check a recurring meeting before it moves?
Check the next occurrence, not the whole series. A quick look takes a couple of minutes and saves a bad evening.
Try this before the clocks change abroad:
- Ask a colleague which day their region changes its clocks, or look it up for that country.
- Open the invite and note the time zone it is set to.
- Look at the first meeting after the change and read it in Malaysian time.
- Note what it now lands on: school pick-up, prayer time, dinner, a shift handover or sleep.
- If it is a problem, write your message before the day arrives.
If you are the one who creates the invite, set the time zone on purpose and say it in the title or description.
What do I say when the new time does not work?
Say it plainly and kindly, with one or two options. Here is a message you can adapt for the group chat or email:
Hi all, with the clock change on your side, our Thursday call now lands at my dinner time. Could we try starting a little earlier, or swap with the other team’s slot for a few weeks? Happy to follow whatever works for the group.
Keep it short. Name the new time in your city, say what it clashes with, and offer a way forward. Avoid blaming anyone, since the shift is nobody’s fault.
What if I am the person who always takes the awkward slot?
Then it is fair to say so. A rotation, where the early or late call moves between regions, is one way to share the cost. You can also suggest that updates go in a written note and only decisions get a live call.
Our guides on agreeing contact windows across time zones and what to do when there is no fair meeting time go further. If a live reply is not needed, writing an asynchronous handover can replace a call.
How do I keep this from spilling into my evening?
Decide your own edge first. If the meeting must stay late, give yourself a clear stop afterwards, such as closing the laptop, switching off the work chat and making a drink.
Feeling tense before a late call is common. A slow breathing minute can help you walk in steadier. Our slow breathing pacer is free and runs in your browser.
A seven-minute reset after the call
When the meeting ends, your mind may still be in the conversation. Sitting quietly for a few minutes helps you leave work behind and notice that the evening has started.
If you would like a voice to follow, Sadhguru’s free seven-minute guided meditation in the Miracle of Mind app is one gentle option. It is entirely optional, and the check above works without it.
If a pattern of late calls leaves you feeling unwell or unable to rest, it is fine to talk to a doctor or counsellor, and our support page lists where to start.
Where to go next
This guide sits within work boundaries and ending the workday, where you will find more ways to keep working hours fair and clear.
Common questions
Does Malaysia change its clocks?
No. Malaysian time stays the same through the year, so the clock change happens on the other side. When your colleague or client in another country moves their clocks, a meeting fixed to their local time moves relative to yours. That is why a call that felt fine last month can suddenly feel early or late.
Why did my recurring meeting move without anyone telling me?
Calendar apps usually follow the time zone of whoever created the invite. If the organiser is abroad and their region changes its clocks, the meeting keeps their local time and shifts for you. Nobody did anything wrong. It simply needs a quick check and, if necessary, a friendly message.
How do I ask to change the time without sounding difficult?
Name the new time in your own city, say what it clashes with, and offer one or two options. For example, say that the call now falls during your family dinner and ask if the group could try a slightly different slot. A calm, specific request is easier to agree to than a general complaint.
What if nobody can find a fair time?
Then the answer may be to rotate who takes the early or late slot, or to move some updates to a written message. Our guide on what to do when there is no fair meeting time covers this. Saying the cost out loud is a good start.
Read next
Once the time is sorted and the message is sent, you could settle your mind before the next call with Sadhguru's free guided meditation, which is optional.