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5 Tips for Working Nightshift and Leading a Normal Life09 Jul

iStock_000008482180XSmallIf you work in a business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, chances are that you have to adapt to the business hours of another country. This may leave you working night shifts in a call center more often than not. Working nights can be difficult for BPO employees, but there are ways to make it an enjoyable experience. Here are five tips for working nightshift in the BPO industry and leading a normal life:

1. Don’t forget to eat and drink. When you are working in the outsourcing industry, it’s easy to forget to pay attention to the essential fuels that your body needs. Carry healthy snacks to work with you during your night shifts at the call center.

2. If you rotate shifts, rotate forward. In the event that your call center allows you to rotate shifts, always rotate forward. Move from nights to day shift and finally afternoons if at all possible. This will help to keep your body and mind more in synch through the shift change.

3. Plan time to spend with friends and family. Relationships with others are also an important part of your physical and mental health. You might be missing out on nightlife because of your work schedule, but that does not mean you cannot build and maintain personal relationships. During your time off, you can certainly find time to meet a friend for breakfast or lunch or even take a vacation. If you make a set plan with friends and family, it is easier to make sure that you get enough quality time with them. Planning ahead will also ease your feelings of isolation and give you fun things to look forward to enjoying.

4. Set a sleep schedule and stick to it. When you are away from your outsourcing job, you need to follow a set schedule just like you would if you were working the day shift. Choose a time of day that you want to sleep and stick to it. If you go right to sleep when you get off, there will still be time to take care of errands during business hours when you wake up. Likewise, if you stay awake when you get off, you can run errands and take care of business before you go to sleep in the afternoon. The important thing is to be consistent. Consistency will help you get a full eight hours of sleep before you return to the call center.

5. Be conscious about fitness. Working night shift tends can take a toll on BPO employees’ physical and mental wellbeing – unless you take measures to incorporate healthy living into your lifestyle. Just because you are working nights in a call center does not mean that your physical and mental wellbeing should be neglected. There are many 24-hour fitness centers that will allow you to exercise and stay in shape.

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8 Responses to “5 Tips for Working Nightshift and Leading a Normal Life”

  1. Fitness Blogger » Blog Archive » 5 Tips for Working Nightshift and Leading a Normal Life | TryBPO … Reply

    [...] Grace wrote an interesting post today on5 Tips for Working Nightshift and Leading a Normal Life | TryBPO <b>…</b>Here’s a quick excerpt [...]

  2. How to Boost Call Center Morale – Without Breaking Your Budget | TryBPO Reply

    [...] in the Philippines is fielding calls for an American counterpart on the other side of the world at odd hours of the night. The staff is charged with long hours and mundane work that can prove unfulfilling over time [...]

  3. Alma Reply

    As a VA, I managed to maintain my schedule to suit my clients schedules. One thing that made this work challenging is the fact that I am also a stay at home mom with 4 young children. :) But due to diligence and understanding clients, we manage to agree on a schedule that does not really require me to be up on their time zone. If my immediate attendance is required, we have agreed to a half a day notice. This kind of work can be very challenging as well as financially rewarding and I am thankful that I manage to thrive with a funny sleeping schedule and continue to live a normal life.

  4. Joseph Magnotti Reply

    @Alma

    Good to hear you are having success being virtual assistant. It is a challenge to work from home and stay focused — especially with 4 kids!

    Where are you working from in the Philippines? It is much easier to adjust to a client’s schedule in the big city, like Manila, Cebu or Davao where people are up all night than in the countryside that is more focused on normal hours.

  5. Alma Reply

    Hi Joseph! I am living in a small town very close to Cagayan de Oro. If I live in Davao, I would definitely check out your company. :)

  6. Joseph Magnotti Reply

    @Alma

    If you are ever in Davao, please stop by the office. I would like to hear your experiences as a virtual assistant firsthand.

    Thanks again for you comment and come back to TryBPO.com soon!

  7. BPO Growth In Davao City Is Transforming Outsourcing In The Philippines | TryBPO.com Philippines Outsourcing News and Information Reply

    [...] from the nocturnal lifestyle, each workday is like being warped halfway around the world getting the businesses of people in [...]

  8. 5 Tips for Working Nightshift and Leading a Normal Life | OutsourcingWorld.biz Reply

    [...] Source Tweet this! [...]

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