I’ve watched a few teams that just keep it simple: one rule – “be online during our core window, say 10–12” – and then trust the rest to handle their own time. Put those hours on a shared calendar so everyone can see when the team is actually available, but don’t lock people into meetings outside that window unless it’s absolutely necessary. Add a “no‑meeting” day for a reset, maybe Mondays, and sprinkle in a quick virtual coffee or a 15‑minute stand‑up that feels more like a water cooler chat than a status update. If someone’s juggling a layover or a jet‑lagged deadline, let them skip a meeting or slide into a one‑on‑one instead of forcing a full‑team sync. The real flexibility rule is: if a rule starts hurting morale or burning someone out, we’re allowed to rewrite or drop it. Trust the people, keep communication clear, and watch the productivity stay high while the burnout stays low.