A time synchronization maintenance method includes determining, by a node of a mesh communication network, a transmission time to transmit data in a transmission queue. The method also includes determining, by the node, an amount of time until commencement of a next beacon signal slot used to transmit a time synchronization beacon signal from the node or another node of the mesh communication network. Further, when the transmission time is greater than the amount of time until commencement of the next beacon signal slot, the method includes delaying transmission, by the node, of at least a portion of the data in the transmission queue until completion of the next beacon signal slot.