Worst Spending Habits Call Center Agents Need To Break

Borrowing money to pay another debt is a common story here in Philippines. Though most of the people may find this a “common” scene and seems like there’s nothing to worry, on a financial perspective, this is very alarming.

Financial debt is increasing in the Philippines. If we will not take action to solve this financial issue, we’ll surely see our fellow Filipino kababayan swimming in debt. This blog is to help fellow Filipinos to increase their awareness in financial matters of life. If you are one of us, help us spread the word in this awareness campaign.

Listed below are Filipino spending habits that are commonly seen in the Philippines. We hope by the end of this post, you’ll be more aware of these bad money habits and take action.

Saying that you can is one thing, but proving it is another thing.

Mañana habit

Many Filipinos despite knowing how important it is to save especially for emergency use, it seems they tend to ignore saving money and procrastinate rather. This is because of the lack of discipline. This one may hurt many readers but it’s true. When the need arise, they always use what they’ve learned from school, cramming. Sad truth isn’t it?

For us to overcome this mañana habit, we need to discipline ourselves and learn how to get away from bad habits.

Live life to the fullest (YOLO'ing)

This is one of the most evil advice you can get in your life. Why? This may seem good if you got a narrow thinking. You might say “Yeah, I only live once so I’ve got to live my life to the fullest” then you go party every weekends, do impulsive shopping, buy unnecessary things for short term pleasure. Then go broke in the future.

This piece of evil advice has blinded many people to enjoy the short term pleasures not seeing the long term effect in the future.

Bahala na si Batman

This statement comes from people who don’t have any plans at all. Most of the Filipinos don’t know how prepare for the future. Most of the people are enticed with the ever wallet-magnetizing, 70% off the tag sales promo from the malls. They entrust their future to the fictional character Batman.

When one of the family gets sick, guess what? A big surprise! They got no emergency funds to use for the hospitalization of their loved ones.

And  another guess what? No surprise. They will borrow money with high interest rates which is nearly impossible for them to pay. Hey! Where’s batman?!?

Pakikisama and Libre

Birthdays, Fiestas, Christening, and all these kinds of events are the making Filipinos broke! You’ve hear these lines before.. “Painom ka naman!” (You’ll shoulder the drinks), “Oh Ikaw taya ngayon!” (You’ll shoulder the expenses), “Sayo ang inumin, sayo ang pulutan” (A birthday song). (wag kang ngang ano)

Since it has been the tradition for many Filipinos to serve food for events through borrowed money, we find it hard to refuse these kind of situations as this has become our predisposition. Para makisama.

Hiya Factor

This is one of the saddest part of our culture I should say. When we were young, we tend to keep silent rather than ask regarding things we don’t know. Why? because those who ask questions, those who shows innocence, will most likely be ridiculed. As a result, we tend to play safe, keep it in ourselves, and miss the chance to learn and grow.

We should realize that it’s okay to look stupid at first then be smart for the rest of our lives than to look smart and all-knowing but know nothing really at all.

If you need advice, you can always look for the right people using the technology. There are bunch of people out there who help especially those who are willing to learn.

Inggit

Don’t be one of  the social climbers! Don’t be an attention whore. Get yourself away from these kind of people or you might acquire their poor characters. Don’t get yourself envy about other people’s new gadget. These things will only force you have bad filipino spending habits.

Asses what you need. Live below your means.

Investing in get rich quick scams

This is not surprising. From the lazy lifestyle and impatient attitude people have these days, it’s not surprising that many Filipinos will fall for these get rich quick scams that are popping out like mushrooms in Philippines.

Most of the Filipinos who join legitimate network marketing businesses here in our country don’t succeed in this kind of business. Again, it is because of the wrong mind setting. Most of the people fall for the trap of opportunity these network marketing companies use in their strategies, “Earn big while waiting”.

There’s no such thing as that..

All businesses struggled at first before they have the passive type of income they are enjoying right now. Top business people know these things. Though most of them are now rich but they do still work to maintain and expand more their businesses.

If you have any of these, you better assess yourself and quit these bad habits. If you have stories to share, let’s talk it down the comment area.





(source: http://www.powerpinoys.com/spending-habits-filipinos-need-to-break/)

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FDA Finally Admits Chicken Meat Contains Cancer-Causing Arsenic

According to the Associated Press, FDA confirmed that chickens sold in markets are positive for inorganic arsenic. Arsenic is a toxic, cancer-causing chemical which can be lethal in high doses. The problem, in fact, lies in the origin of the arsenic which is given to the chickens.

Arsenic is intentionally mixed with chicken feed. More than 70% of the chicken raised for meet are given arsenic in order to cause faster growth on less feed and give the healthy color of chicken, turkey and hog meat, according to the IATP`s report in 2006.

The FDA admitted that, more than a half of the tested chicken had inorganic arsenic in their liver, which is the most harmful form of this cancer-causing chemical.

Because of this reason, Pfizer had to stop producing the arsenic-containing drug called Roxarsone, which was frequently added to chicken feed.

The Wall Street Journal reported:

“The agency said it recently conducted a study of 100 broiler chickens that detected inorganic arsenic at higher levels in the livers of chickens treated with 3-Nitro compared with untreated chickens… Pfizer said sale of 3-Nitro would be stopped by early July in order to allow animal producers to transition to other treatments.”

Even though this product was recalled from the stores throughout the US, the FDA declares that chicken is safe to eat because it does not contain high concentration of arsenic.

The production industry hides the fact that arsenic is extremely toxic and harmful chemical. According to the University Of South Carolina Department Of Environmental Health Services, arsenic together with mercury and lead has extremely damaging neurological effect on fetuses and children.

Experts claim that arsenic is 4 times more poisonous than mercury. The trivalent Arsenic As+3 is 60 times as toxic as the pentavalent As+5.

According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, people who consume large amounts of rice which contains arsenic, experience cellular changes which lead to cancer development.
Recent studies showed that arsenic causes Bowen disease, invasive squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma on the skin, and cancers of internal organs such as kidneys, lungs, liver and bladder.

Beside all these facts, FDA continues with its claim that it is safe to eat food that contains arsenic, but it is dangerous to drink elderberry juice.


 


(source: http://livingtraditionally.com/fda-finally-admits-chicken-meat-contains-cancer-causing-arsenic/)

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Warning, Popular Oats Contain A Common Toxic Ingredient!

As you know oats get a lot of praise from health organizations. So how exactly do oats contribute to our health? Unprocessed oats contain manganese, selenium, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc and Vitamin E.

Whole unprocessed oats are a very good source of fiber, especially beta-glucan. They are the only source of 20 unique unique polyphenols, a group of antioxidants called avenanthramides, known to prevent against heart disease. The polyphenols of oats have been found to possess anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, and anti-itching activity, which can protect from coronary heart disease, colon cancer, and skin irritation. However, before you eat that bowl of oatmeal, here are important things to know about oats.

Important Things to Know about Oats

1. Oats contain high levels of phytic acid and avenin. 

Avenin appears to have some of the same problems as gluten in certain sensitive individuals. Soaking oats reduces anti-nutrients and helps unlock the nutrients. To soak oats, mix together 1 cup of steel-cut oats  to 1 cup warm, filtered water with a Tbsp of apple cider vinegar  for at least 12 hours.

2. Non organic oats contain high levels of pesticides.

Non-organic oats are sprayed with glyphosate (Roundup’s active ingredient), so that essentially makes them as bad as GM corn, canola and soy. According to the USDA Pesticide Data Program there are 6 pesticide Residues found in conventionally grown oat crops. They are Malathion, piperonyl butoxide, metolachlor, DDE p,p’, peopiconazole, and chlorpyrifos methyl.  SO if you decide to eat oats, make sure to purchase organic raw oats.

3. Organic steel cut oats are the healthiest. 

Steel-cut oats are whole groats chopped into several pieces. Though steel-cut oats take longer to cook, they  contain much more nutrients than conventional oats.

4. Most commercial oats contain gluten. 

Though pure oats are gluten free, they get contaminated with gluten when they are processed in facilities that also process wheat, barley, and rye. So if you are gluten intolerant, even a trace amount of gluten can cause severe health consequences. So check the fine print on your labels!

5. Oatmeal can raise blood sugar quickly in many. 

 

People with sensitive insulin response, have a significant surge in blood glucose after eating oatmeal.

6. Oatmeal can prevent healing of cavities. 

Oatmeal prevents healing and encourages new cavities, due to its ability to prevent mineral absorption.




(source: http://supertastyrecipes.com/2016/01/popular-oats-contain-a-common-toxic-ingredient-here-are-the-only-types-of-oats-you-should-eat/)

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5 Secret Tricks to Lose Weight At Any Age

Every year, it seems, the needle on the scale is a little harder to budge.

You cut back on portion size; you say, “No, thank you,” to dessert; you sign up for a Zumba class — and yet your jeans size goes up and your energy level goes down. What’s going on?

Starting in our early 40s, our bodies go through a series of changes that profoundly affect digestion, metabolism, and other bodily functions. Thanks to hormonal and other changes, the very growth rate of our cells slows down. It’s just something we have to learn to work around.

Sometimes, though, something’s gotten off track, metabolically speaking, and there’s an underlying medical issue that needs to be dealt with before the usual weight-loss measures will have any effect. Here’s a 5-step plan for understanding the challenges that prevent weight loss over 40, and for learning how to overcome them.

1. Get to know your body’s new biological rhythms — and adjust to them.

When it comes to burning calories, it’s a fairly simple equation. What goes in must be burned off, or it sticks to our ribs. Acquiring weight is absurdly easy — eating just 100 extra calories a day (100 more than what your body burns) will lead to a 9- to 10-pound weight gain over the course of a year, experts say.

How much is 100 calories? Not a lot: A can of Coke contains 155 calories, a chocolate bar more than 200.

Of course, that cola or chocolate chip cookie is no problem if we’re walking or running it off. But after 40, our activity level tends to decline, too. So the challenge is to bring the two into balance.

Make a list of what works for you, and what throws you off. Your own healthy habits in the past are the ones most likely to work for you now.

2. Eliminate underlying metabolic conditions.

Would it surprise you to know that thyroid problems strike as many as 1 out of 5 adults over age 40? And 8 out of 10 of those adults are women? The most common of these is hypothyroidism — an underactive thyroid — and it’s one of the primary reasons many women over 40 can’t lose weight.

If you suspect an underactive thyroid may be slowing your metabolism, the first step is to call the doctor and ask for a thyroid test.

3. Get more sleep to burn more calories.

As any perimenopausal woman or hardworking man over 35 can tell you, sleep gets ever more elusive as you age. It’s not just that we’re busier and more stressed. We also have multiple physical issues, from back pain to snoring to night sweats, any of which can interfere with getting a good night’s sleep.

Yet, paradoxically, getting a good night’s sleep is one of the keys to losing weight. In recent years, significant research has shown that lack of sleep is directly connected to weight gain because of the actions of two hormones, leptin, and ghrelin, that control hunger and satiety, or feeling full.

Here’s how it works: When you’re sleep deprived, ghrelin levels increase at the same time that leptin levels decrease. The result is more craving, less feeling full. Add to that the fact that sleep-deprived people often crave “energy” foods, which tend to be sweet or salty, and you can see how small changes in your routine can add up to big weight gain.

And there’s more. Recently, studies have shown that our bodies are most metabolically active while we sleep and that sleeping less than six hours impairs glucose tolerance, a key precursor to diabetes. So the longer we sleep, the more efficiently our inner fat-burning and sugar-processing engines function.

Add these all together and you can see a pattern emerging: The older we are, the harder it is to get a good night’s sleep — and the less we sleep, the more likely it is we’ll gain weight.

What to do? Take steps to combat sleep problems and your waistline will benefit, too.

4. Strike up a healthy relationship with your sweet tooth.

If you’re dying for a sweet treat, give it to yourself, savoring it slowly so it registers fully with your brain’s pleasure sensors.

A trick that many experts recommend: Cut the treat in half before you start eating, carefully wrapping the second half up to “save for later.” You may or may not want it — sometimes if you eat the first half slowly and consciously enough, you’ll feel satisfied. But knowing it’s there if you do plays a nice trick on your brain, which tends to crave things it perceives as being in short supply.

Also, don’t try to substitute artificially flavored sweets. Researchers have recently discovered that artificial sweeteners fail to trigger the body’s natural satisfaction response.

So eating that 100-calorie artificially sweetened cookie only adds to your problems; you’ll keep on wanting the real cookie, so the 100 calories you just ate were in vain.

5. Make slow, realistic changes in tune with your lifestyle.

Let’s say you want to lose 10 pounds. To do so right now, you’d have to burn 35,000 calories — an overwhelming number that would require you to eat nothing at all for about 2 weeks, or jog for 51 hours, or walk for 126 hours. Not only would it be impossible, but attempts like those would send your body into starvation mode metabolic slowdown, sabotaging your efforts.

But you could also, much more effectively, set out to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week for the next 5 to 10 weeks. Studies show that if you take the slow-but-steady approach, you’re much more likely to keep those 10 pounds off.

Remind yourself that you are the only one in charge of tuning up your metabolic engine. Decide whether to focus on cutting down the number of calories you’re consuming or on upping the number you’re burning. Most likely, you’ll strike a balance between the two that suits you.

If six half-hour walks a week is relatively painless for you, that’s a good choice; if you can only manage three, do that. If going outdoors in ten-degree weather is singularly unappealing and you wouldn’t be caught dead in a gym but it’s not too hard to give up dessert, then prioritize dietary changes instead.

Your primary goal should be making small, gradual lifestyle changes that you can incorporate into your daily routine and stick with over time. That’s the ultimate secret to combating over-40 weight gain.


(source: http://healthyrecipeshome.com/5-secret-tricks-to-lose-weight-at-any-age/)

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No To Dehydration: 10 Signs that Your Body is Lacking Water

It is very important for everyone, specially  Call Center agents, not to suffer from dehydration. Water is the most important liquid for the human body. With 2/3 of it made of water, a person can only survive about 72 hours without it. What makes water so important is that every cell, organ and tissue in the body depends heavily on it.

WHAT WATER DOES TO THE BODY

    It helps digestion.
    It controls calorie intake.
    It keeps the balance of body fluids in check.
    It regulates and maintains body temperature.
    It lubricates your joints and eyes.
    It protects your tissues, spinal cord and joints.
    It helps your body eliminate waste products and toxins.
    It keeps your skin hydrated and youthful.

As all body functions depend on water, proper hydration is the key to overall health. And in order to stay hydrated, it’s important to drink lots of fluids and eat foods high in water.

However, there are conditions when your body loses more water than usual. Some of these include hard physical activity, excessive sweating, diarrhea, vomiting, diabetes and frequent urination.

Dehydration can have a negative impact on your body function as it leads to an electrolyte imbalance.

Unfortunately, dehydration can often go unnoticed as most people are unaware of this condition. Knowing how to identify the symptoms of dehydration can help you take timely action and protect your health.

These are the top 10 signs that you are water deficient:

1. Headaches and dizziness

These are some of the first symptoms of dehydration because in this case, there’s a reduced amount of fluid surrounding your brain. This fluid is particularly important as it acts as a buffer protecting the brain from mild knocks.

Along with migraines, dehydration leads to irritating headaches because it decreases the flow of oxygen and blood to the brain.

According to a 2010 report published in the Handbook of Clinical Neurology, dehydration is one of possible causes of migraines and severe headaches.

A glass can water, as opposed to pills, can be equally beneficial when dealing with a headache caused by dehydration.

2. Brain fog or poor concentration

Not only does dehydration trigger headaches, but it also reduces brain function. As the human brain is almost 90% water, water deficiency in the brain can have a negative impact on your decision making skills, memory and mood.

Dehydration often manifests through symptoms of brain fog including forgetfulness and difficulty focusing, thinking and communicating.

According to a 2013 study published in Clinical Autonomic Research, dehydration is one of the most frequently reported causes of brain fog together with fatigue, sleep deficiency, and prolonged standing.

A different study of 2011, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, revealed that dehydration can also lead to mood swings.

3. Bad breath and dry mouth

In a state of dehydration, your body produces less saliva, which has antibacterial properties. This leads to bad breath because there’s bacteria proliferation in the oral cavity.

Another symptom is a dry mouth because water is a lubricant that keeps the mucus membranes in the throat hydrated, thus preventing dry mouth.

4. Constipation and other digestive issues

Water hydrates all cells and tissues in the body, which also applies to the digestive system. In fact, water keeps the gastro-intestinal tract supple and clean. Also, it stimulates regular your bowel movements and prevents constipation.

Constipation is a common symptom of dehydration leading to hardened stool due to excessive loss of fluid. Diarrhea and vomiting often lead to dehydration. This condition can even cause acid reflux and indigestion.

A 2003 study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition reveals that proper hydration is the key to prevent constipation and maintain proper body function.

5. Sudden food cravings

People commonly mistake their need for water with food cravings. In fact, your body sends false signals to your brain that you are hungry, when actually you are thirsty. So, the next time you get a sudden food craving, drink a glass of water first before reaching for a snack.

Another reason why you feel hungry when actually thirsty is the fact your body is craving salty food when you’re experiencing loss of water and electrolytes. You can easily address this issue by drinking a sports drink that contains sodium, or by mixing some fresh lemon juice, a glass of water and a teaspoon of salt.

When there’s glycogen production difficulty in your body, you also experience sweet cravings. In this case, reach for fruits like watermelon, papaya or berries, which are not only sweet, but also high in water.

6. Reduced need for urination and change in urine color

If you don’t have the need to urinate every few hours, your body may be experiencing dehydration. When you are getting enough water, you should be going to the toilet about 4-7 times a day. If, however, you don’t, the toxin levels in your body increase.

Another thing that dehydration does is change the color of your urine, which is an important indicator of how well hydrated you are. When your body is well-hydrated, the color of your urine is clear or light, whereas dark yellow or amber-colored urine is a clear sign of dehydration.

7. Fatigue and lethargy

Dehydration also makes you feel fatigued and lethargic. As your brain is lacking water, this causes low blood pressure and inadequate oxygen supply throughout your body. This in turn leads to sleepiness, fatigue and a lethargic feeling.

Dehydration also negatively affects the transport of essential nutrients to every cell in the body. In fact, your body works very hard to sustain this, spending more energy than usual, thus making you feel constantly tired.

Keeping hydrated is the easiest way to stay alert and full of energy.

8. Joint and muscle pain

Your joints and cartilage are made of 80% water, so whenever you’re lacking this fluid, it increases friction between your bones, which leads to joint pain. In contrast, when your body is well-hydrated, your joints can handle sudden movements, such as running, jumping or falling, without any pain.

Water deficiency also results in muscle spasms and cramps.

9. Scaly, dry skin and lips

Dry skin is another issue that dehydration triggers because it leads to lack of elasticity. Your skin is the largest organ, which need a lot of water to stay in good health.

Moreover, low water levels cause less sweating, thus preventing the body from effective elimination of excess dirt and oil built up on your skin. Dehydration also increases the risk of acne, eczema and psoriasis as water stimulates flushing toxins out from the body.

Dry and chapped lips are another common sign of dehydration.

Make sure you maintain proper body hydration and good skin quality by drinking sufficient amounts of water.

10. Accelerated heartbeat

Last, but not least, proper hydration influences your heart rate and performance. Dehydration makes the blood more viscous and reduces plasma volume, which affects blood circulation and increases your heart rate. This was confirmed by a 2014 study published in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research.

The researchers found that the heart rate changes an average of three beats per minute for every 1 percent change in body weight resulting from dehydration.

In addition, dehydration not only leads to hypotension, but also causes changes in electrolytes levels in your body. This makes heart palpitations become faster due to extra stress on your body. This can often be frightening and cause anxiety and panic.

In such a case, sip water slowly to see if you’ll feel better and feel if your heart will beat faster. If the problem persists, consult a doctor.

Tips to Prevent Dehydration:

Drink plenty of water on daily basis. The amount of water you need depends on a number of factors, including the climate where you live, your physical activity and overall health.

Always start your day with a large glass of water at room temperature and drink one full glass before each meal.

It’s recommended to even set a reminder to drink a glass of water a few times a day if you are busy and often forget to drink water.

Always carry a bottle of water with you no matter where you are going.

Increase your intake of water-rich fruits and vegetables on regular daily basis.

Stay away from drinks that cause dehydration, such as alcohol, energy drinks and those with caffeine.

When suffering from a fever, vomiting or diarrhea, increase your fluid intake to prevent severe dehydration.

Consult your doctor if you are having symptoms such as extreme thirst, dizziness, not passing urine for more than eight hours, and a rapid or weak pulse.

(source: http://www.healthyfoodteam.com/10-warning-signs-that-your-body-is-lacking-water/#arvlbdata)

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THERE IS CURE FOR CANCER SINCE 1923 – IT WAS HIDDEN FROM THE PUBLIC!

In 1931, the German scientist, physiologist and medical doctor Otto Heinrich Warburg, received Nobel Prize for this revolutionary breakthrough.

He discovered that unhealthy lifestyle and unhealthy diet associated with creation of acidic environment in the body, which further leads to cancer development. Excess acidity in the body removes the oxygen from the cells and this is the perfect environment for growth of cancer cells.

Cancer cells need anaerobic conditions and glucose in order to grow and spread. Healthy body tissues in the human body are alkaline, while tumor tissues are acidic.

According to Dr. Warburg, if you remove 35% of the healthy cell`s oxygen, it will convert into cancer cell in only two days.

IMPORTANT: Proper nutrition is an essential part of healthy lifestyle. The acid-base environment in the body is determined by the types of foods you consume.

Acidity and alkalinity are measured with a logarithmic scale called pH. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is neutral. A pH less than 7 is acidic. A pH greater than 7 is basic. In a healthy body, the pH values should be slightly above 7.

Also, the pH of the blood is always 7.4 and 7.45.

Which foods create acidic environment in the body?

•     Alcohol
•     Any cooked food
•     Bread
•     Refined salt,
•     Refined sugar and all its derivates,
•     Products of animal origin (milk and cheese),
•     Refined flour and all its derivates (cakes, pasta).
•     Margarine
•     Cigarettes
•     Coffee
•     All industrial processed food such as cans, artificial colors, flavors, stabilizers and others

Which foods alkalize the body?

•     Fruits
•     Vegetables
•     Water

Regular physical activity is also very important for your health. Being inactive for a longer period can lead to incidence of numerous diseases. In addition, 60% of what you eat should be alkalizing foods.

People who suffer from serious diseases should eat a diet consisting of 80% of alkaline foods and avoid processed and unhealthy food.

(source: http://www.healthyfoodteam.com/there-is-cure-for-cancer-since-1923-it-was-hidden-from-the-public/#arvlbdata)

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Pinoy Call Center Agents Suffer From Insomnia and Fatigue

A significant percentage of workers employed in the country’s business process outsourcing (BPO) sector — majority of whom working in call center facilities — are suffering from work-related health problems, a recent study showed.

Although it noted some negative aspects of the country’s BPO sector, the study, conducted by the International Labor Organization (ILO), also said working conditions and pay remain of “good quality" for BPO workers in the Philippines.

“[The study] reveals that 42.6 percent of BPO employees in the Philippines work the night shift, which is associated with occupational safety and health concerns, such as sleep disorders, fatigue, eye strain; neck, shoulder and back pains; and voice problems," a statement in the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) website quoted the ILO study as saying.

The study said 47.7 percent of Filipino BPO workers surveyed are suffering from insomnia, while 54 percent are suffering from fatigue.

The study also indicated that BPO workers have less freedom, and are constantly under “high levels" of stress.

“Workers, especially in call centers, have also relatively low autonomy. Their jobs typically involve heavy workloads backed by performance targets and tight rules and procedures enforced by electronic monitoring which are known to produce high levels of work-related stress," it said.

Some of the stress-inducing factors mentioned in the study were harassment from irate clients, excessive and tedious workload, performance demands, monotony, and regular night work.

Another negative aspect of the BPO industry is the high rate of staff turnover, which can reach as high as 100 percent or more annually in some countries, according to the study.

The DOLE statement said the ILO study was contained in the book, “Offshoring and Working Conditions in Remote Work," written by Jon Messenger, a senior researcher with the Conditions of Work and Employment Programme of the ILO.

Good Quality Pay

The study, however, showed that “remote work" jobs in the country are of “reasonably good quality" by local standards in terms of working conditions, with “hours of work quite reasonable in stark contrast to the often excessively long hours of many workers in the developing world."

It noted that the average weekly hours of work of BPO employees in the Philippines are 44.7 hours per week, with a “modest" overtime average of 1.12 hours per week.

In terms of pay, the study observed that the average monthly salary paid to BPO employees in the Philippines is P16,928, which it said is 53 percent higher than the prevailing minimum wage paid to Filipinos of the same age employed in other industries.

Filipino BPO workers also receive benefits such as meal and transport allowances, the study further stated.

The book thus recommended key changes in policies and practices to make Philippine BPO jobs even “better" and help reduce staff turnover. Some of these changes include stronger measures on the health and safety of night workers, redesign of work processes, policies and practices aimed at increasing workers’ participation, and social dialogue, such as collective bargaining.

Rapidly growing industry

The book, regarded as the first in-depth study of the workplace in the BPO industry, was launched last week through a press conference on video beamed straight from Geneva, according to the DOLE.

It divided the BPO sector into “voice" services, such as call centers, and “back office" services, like finance and accounting, data processing and management, and human resource development.

“This is a rapidly growing industry worth an approximate US$ 90 billion," Messenger said in a statement posted on the ILO website.

The book presented case studies in four major “destination" countries: Argentina, Brazil, India and the Philippines.

It described the BPO workforce as young, generally well-educated and predominantly female. With a few exceptions, such as in India, women constitute the vast majority (60 percent or more) of BPO employees in nearly all countries with a substantial BPO industry.

“The BPO industry has at times been heralded as the wave of future knowledge work in a service and information economy, and alternatively, demonized as a ‘brave new world’ of electronic sweatshops. The reality, as one might imagine, is far more complex. The bottom line is that this is an industry with the potential to offer a model for a future of good quality service sector jobs and high-performing companies in the global economy," Messenger explained. - KBK, GMANews.TV -


(source: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/197534/money/ilo-many-call-center-agents-in-rp-suffer-from-insomnia-fatigue)

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10 Tips on Surviving Nightshift

Preparing going onto nightshift 

1. Try to do something physical “the day before the day before”. Physical activity is good for your general wellbeing anyway, and it will set you up for a decent “pre-nightshift” sleep. I would go swimming, running, boxing or have a mega-housework blitz. Then get a decent amount of sleep prior to starting nights:

Method 1: Stay up really late (at least 3am – 6am) the night before (calling/Skyping mates in different timezones or a TV marathon can help) then sleep for the majority of the day before your first nightshift.

Method 2: Go to bed as usual the night before , sleep in until late morning, have a big feed for lunch then go back to sleep for an afternoon/evening nap.
On nightshifts

2. Drink water and eat food (bring real food, not just junk, and a big water bottle that you can reach for when you are writing notes). Drinking enough water is my absolute number one piece of advice. It’s hard to be high functioning when you are symptomatically dehydrated.

3. Just like with day shift, caffeinating during the second half of your shift reduces your chance of sleeping when you get home. Plan your caffeine. Eg. bring a big plunger and invest in decent Peruvian coffee to have on arrival during handover, and at the halfway mark of the shift. (Sharing means your whole night team runs smoother & happier too!)

Between nightshifts

4. If you suddenly realise you are too tired to drive home, DON’T. Get a taxi or phone a friend. We don’t need any more post-nightshift road trauma (ask your seniors and they will all know of past incidents, one more is one too many).

5. Your body reacts to sunlight. Wear dark glasses home, and invest in cut-out curtains; or an eye mask. Avoid artificial light – constantly checking your phone or iPad because you can’t sleep will make it worse.

6. Most of us use noise (alarms) to wake up. So, if you need to sleep, invest in ear plugs.

7. Don’t use alcohol to help you sleep. It is a sleep inducer but it will disrupt your REM sleep which impacts on how rested and functional you are on waking.

8. Don’t commit to things during the day because daytime people expect you to – you are living their life in reverse.

Turning around

9. There are many turnaround styles to consider. Just make sure you get the amount of sleep you need before you go on to do other higher functioning after your nights.

Method 1: After post-nights breakfast, go home and have a four hour nap eg 10am-2pm. Potter about and get some daylight exposure, then go to bed at your usual time.
Method 2: Sleep for 36 hours (all day and all night). Have a glass of water, some carbs like crackers by the bed and a clear path between the bed and the loo. Consider DVT prophylaxis.

10. DO make sure you make the time and headspace for Post-Nights Breakfast. Critical Care rosters lend themselves to this and I’d argue that in any teams that do a round of nights together, this is an incredibly useful space to wind down; congratulate one another and reflect on ways to improve. I make a point of having a debrief, called “The Ceremonial Airing of Grievances”. Homer (Simpson) has a lot to teach us. Venting prevents explosion. Use the formal positive critique/Pendleton’s model/the “hashtag rant” – just make sure everyone on the team can identify any painful experiences, reflect on how awesome they are; and work out how to be more awesomer next time.

In all seriousness, please look after yourself as you navigate the nightshift rhythm. These are just things I have found helpful, there’s lots of advice out there – head online to search for more nightshift and sleep tips. If these things are not working, go and see your GP (yes, I have one of those, so should you) to discuss individual techniques and adjuncts for healthy amounts of quality sleep.

Sleep long, and prosper!


(source: http://lifeinthefastlane.com/top-10-tips-surviving-nightshift/)

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TIPS ON SAVING MONEY AS A CALL CENTER AGENT

75% of call center employees spend their salaries within five days upon receiving it. Then they end up counting the days till their next paycheck.

This is a study that was done by me (so technically imbento lang yon). But based on my humble observation, call center agents have poor discipline when it comes to money.

They end up splurging on Taxi's, Starbucks, cellphones, designer clothes, pokpok's and whatever -- simply because of the "malaki naman sahod ko mentality" and the "mag-iipon ako next sweldo" mindset. And in the end years pass and nothing financially solid is gained.

So what are the money saving tips I applied?

1) Realize that the call center is an unstable working environment.

The call center is a very unstable environment. Your salary, account, status, titles, training, office romance, depend solely on the next “end of life” of your account. I have seen Managers, TL's, and whoever lose their jobs in an instant due to the US clients closing/transferring to other Business units.

Some call centers promise to give their agents a stable future -- this is crap! Learn to be prudent and save.
 

2) He who gathers little by little makes it grow.

This is somewhere in the Bible.

Every payday start setting aside a small amount of money, 500 pesos or 250 pesos will do. Put this is a small piggy bank. After a while you'll be surprised that you actually saved something -- as opposed to trying to put a big amount in the bank that you end up withdrawing anyway.

3) Have two bank accounts.

One is for your pay check, one is for your savings. If you just put all your money in one account, chances are you'll spend it all (been there, done that). Try to enroll in BPI's direct save up. The bank takes money off your paycheck every payday and put this into your savings.

link: http://www.bpidirect.com/page/view/save-up-automatic-savings-insurance

I am not endorsing this, I am sharing this because it worked for me.

It would also help if your saving account has a passbook. Atm's are so convenient to use, so it's so convenient to spend your savings as well. By holding a passbook, you will be subjected to the banks "time-space-warp dimension" where you have to be horribly hassled to withdraw.

4) You will survive with what you have.

I noticed that we survive with the money we actually have on hand -- call it our survival instinct kicking in.

Try to save the money first, and try to live by the money that was left -- you will survive.

Wag ka lang mang-utang ng mang-utang!

5) Try to be thrifty

A priest once said, "you have no right to luxuries till you have your own house and car."

In tagalong "WALA KANG KARAPATAN SA LUHO HANGANG DI KA PA NAGKAKABAHAY AT KOTSE!”

Practice thriftiness -- bring packed lunches, do not go to GIMIKS every other night, and be content with your current cellphone.

Think about this, going to lunch outs a day amounts to 50 pesos. One kilo of hotdogs cost 150 pesos -- good for the whole week. I'm not saying that you eat hotdogs everyday because that would be a certain cause of umay, but you see the point. Find ways to save money and be happy and content with what you have.

I know a guy who had every latest cellphone and his lack of discipline led him to a life of poverty.

*side note: Some agents must always have the latest cellphone or gadget. Wala naman kotse -- na hoholdap tuloy.*

6) Make a Budget plan

Sounds redundant, but you really need to do this.

As soon as I get my paycheck I do the following.

1) I set aside a small amount for my savings.
2) I then proceed to list all the bills I have to pay (Water, Electricity, Bahay, Girlfriend1, Girlfriend2.)
3) I then compute my everyday allowance (transpo, food, packed lunch.)
4) I then allocate a Gimik fund (We need to have some fun!)
5) I add and subtract the figures.
6) Tapos sasakit ang ulo ko kakaisip pano ko pagkakasyahin ang pera ko.

Just remember, you will not be young forever so get more discipline in your life. See to it that you don’t wake up one day, be 30 years old, and still have nothing.

The sacrifices you do now determine how easy life will be in the future.

Any other suggestions you can think of?


(source: http://www.callcentersurvivalph.com/2011/06/tips-on-saving-money-as-agent.html)

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The Morning Banana Diet Plan

Discovered by Sumiko Watanabe, pharmacist and her husband Hitoshi Watanabe, Morning Banana Diet plan is one of the most popular fad diet plans prevalent in Japan.

Mrs. Watanabe herself lost massive 18 kilograms (almost 39 pounds) by using the weight loss plan.

The diet plan allows you to consume as many bananas as you want. After making a healthy beginning of the day with bananas, you can have anything you want in your lunch and dinner.

She-Lost-18-Kilograms

That being said, should you want to melt weight, instead of having high-calorie foods such as pizza, burger etc., eat low calorie and highly nutritious foods such as fruits and vegetables.

If you are longing to consume something sweet, you can have that in afternoon snacks only, not after that. The only thing you have to be very careful is, you have to have your dinner before 8 PM.

And you are not permitted to eat anything after your dinner, even desserts such as ice creams, alcohol, dairy products etc. are not permitted after dinner.

One factor of this diet that has many people going bananas is that there are no exercise requirements. While exercising is not prohibited, they advise to do it only if you want to. And if you do exercise, they suggest that it be done in a manner that is the least stressful.

Why Bananas Have Been Chosen in the Diet Plan?

Since banana has been considered the main fruit of the diet plan, the whole plan seems to revolve around bananas, which is also evident from its name. Bananas inevitably are opulent in potassium and many other essential nutrients.

Their fiber and water content being very high render them amazing capability to keep you contented for longer duration. High fiber property of the banana enables them to absorb numerous calories before passing to the digestive tract.

Besides that, special enzymes in bananas strip off several pounds from your body and bring you in perfect shape. Bananas also have resistant starch, which not only keeps you contented for longer but also assists your body in burning fats.

Morning Banana Diet Rules

Eat a banana for breakfast

• You can eat more than one, and in fact the inventor of the diet often ate four (smallish Philippines) bananas in the morning, but don’t stuff yourself to the point of fullness or discomfort.
• Eat only raw, uncooked, unfrozen bananas.
• Other fruit may be substituted.
• If other fruit is substituted, some variants require it be restricted to one type of fruit per meal.
• If you are still hungry 15 or 30 minutes after your banana, you can eat other food (the Japanese inventor of the original Asa Banana Diet sometimes ate a rice ball two and a half hours later, about 200 calories worth; Morning Banana forum members have suggested oatmeal, although it’s not as portable as a rice ball).

Eat normally for lunch and dinner

• Dinner must be eaten by 8 p.m. at the latest (6 p.m. is better).
• There are no explicit limits on the types of food you can eat for lunch and dinner, or the amount. But in practice dieters report on Mixi that they try to cut the amount of rice they eat and find substitutions for fried foods. As with many diets, the mere fact you have decided to go on a diet tends to make you more aware of what and how much you are are eating and how healthy it is. The diet avoids strict food rules to prevent a sense of deprivation.
• However, you should not eat a dessert with dinner or any of your meals; you’ll need to satisfy your sweet tooth during a snack, but we’ll get to that later.
• At all meals you should eat only until you’re satisfied but not full or stuffed. The Japanese have a proverb, Hara hachibu ni isha irazu, “A stomach eight-tenths full needs no doctor.” American dietitians define this level of fullness or satiety as a 7 on a 1-to-10 “hunger scale,” and they teach their clients to recognize this feeling.

Drink only water

• The only beverage allowed at most meals is water, preferably mineral or filtered.
• The water must be at room temperature, not chilled or hot. The water should be drunk in small sips and not used to wash down food.
• There is no quota of water to drink, and you should not drink it in excess.
• Outside of meals non-caloric beverages like tea, coffee, and diet soda are generally allowed but somewhat frowned upon, and in general water is encouraged as much as possible; frequent consumption of milk products is discouraged.
• On social occasions you may drink beer or wine.

Eat your food mindfully

•  Chew your banana and other food thorouoghly and be mindful of its taste.

You may eat an afternoon snack

• A sweet snack of chocolate, cookies, or the like is allowed at about 3 p.m.
• Ice cream, a donut, or potato chips are not recommended.
• Some substitute fresh fruit for their snack, but if you want sweets you should not deny yourself.
• Some Japanese who like salty snacks eat salted konbu (seaweed) snacks and some Japanese who are very hungry in the afternoon substitute a filling, fist-sized rice ball for sweets.
• A good alternative if a salty or more filling snack is needed is popcorn according to Morning Banana forum members, but watch out for excessive fat content.
• If you are hungry after dinner, you may have a second snack of fresh fruit, but this should not be a habit.

Early to bed

• Go to bed by midnight. If you can manage to go to bed earlier, all the better.
• Try to aim for a four-hour period between your last meal or snack and bedtime (which is why 8:00 p.m. is the latest you should eat dinner).

Exercise only if you want to

• Put no pressure on yourself to exercise.
• If you want to exercise, go ahead: the test is to do what puts the least stress on you.
• But try to get some walking in every day if possible (but again, don’t force yourself if it stresses you out).
• If you want a traditional Japanese light workout, consider taking up the kendama.

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10 Common Habits that Damage Your Kidneys

The kidneys are one of the most important body organs, because they are responsible for the urination process in our organism by filtering the excess of water and body waste. Even though they are so important for our body, we don’t take proper care for them, which is testified by the fact that millions of people die of kidney disease every year. In order keep our kidneys healthy many of us must give up of their habits. This is a list of some habits you need to avoid for healthy kidneys:

1. Pain–killer abuse

A bad habit that many people have is taking pain-killers for low-grade pain, because most pain-killers can damage different organs, such as kidneys and have severe side effects. A recent research has shown that taking pain – killers pills for a longer period of time reduces blood flow and deteriorates kidney’s function.

2. Too much protein

Over-consumption of protein-rich foods and red meat can deteriorate the damaged kidneys condition. A protein-rich diet is essentially healthy unless you suffer from kidney damage and your doctor recommends a protein-restricted diet. The intake of too much protein through the food increases the metabolic load on our kidneys.

3. Smoking

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that smoking is bad for almost every organ of the body, including the kidneys. The connection between kidney disease and smoking has been shown in several studies.

4. Consuming too much sodium

Another job for our kidneys is metabolizing the sodium we consume. The majority of our sodium intake needs to be excreted, andthe salt we eat is the prime source of sodium, which means that when we eat excessive salt the kidneys are kept busy excreting sodium, causing long term stress on our kidneys.

5. Ignoring flu and colds

A habit that can cause kidney damage is ignoring the common flu and cold. Studies show that people who have a history of avoiding resting while sick,have kidney disease.

6. Consumption of too much caffeine 

 It is common that whenever we are thirsty we choose to drink other beverages like sodas and soft drinks rather than water. Many of these beverages contain caffeine. High blood pressure puts strain on the kidneys which can damage them, and caffeine can elevate blood pressure.

7. Too much alcohol consumption

When we drink alcohol we often ignore the proper quantity suitable for good health. Too much alcoholic intake is a habit that can severely damage your kidneys. Alcohol is full of toxins that stress our kidneys thus damaging them.

8. Sleeplessness

During the night when you sleep, the organs tissues are repairing themselves. Therefore, every time you don’t get good quality sleep, therenewal process is interrupted, resulting in damage to the kidneys and other organs.

9. Drinking inadequate water

The biggest contributor to damage that our kidneys bear everyday is not drinking enough water. The main job of our kidneys is to regulate erythrocyte balances and drain metabolic waste from the body. If the body is not properly hydrated, the renal blood flow decreases, resulting in accumulation of toxins in the blood.

10. Long–term full bladder

This is a habit that many of us have. Different complications in the urinary tract may arise, if we leave the bladder full of urine for an extended time: one example of such complications is Hypertrophy of detrusor muscle, which may lead to formation of diverticula. Another example which is caused by chronic back pressure on kidneys is Hydronephrosis (increase of urine pressure in kidneys), ultimately resulting in renal dysfunction and even the need for dialysis.

(Source: http://organichealth.co/10-common-habits-that-damage-your-kidneys/)

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