Common Illnesses and Diseases of Call Center Agents and How to Combat It

Call center agents working graveyard shifts face serious health problems. According to the DOH, the lifestyle-related illnesses such as stroke, heart disease and cancer have risen at an alarming rate among call center workers.

The Reason?

According to the 2008 National Nutrition and Health Survey (NNHS), smoking does not just cause cancer and lung diseases but is also the number one cause of strokes and heart attacks. Smoking is estimated to have caused 50,000 deaths a year and caused more strokes and heart attacks than diabetes, hypertension, obesity and high cholesterol. (http://www.interaksyon.com/business/25067/call-center-agents-health-in-near-crisis---doh)

The The Contact Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP) has pegged the turnover/attrition rate in the Call Centers Industry at 60 percent to 80 percent, the highest in the world. In some companies, it can go as high as 100 percent annually. A full-time call center agent stays in a contact center for an average of 22 months, while part-time agents stay for an even shorter period of 10 months.

The high attrition rate may be attributed primarily to health concerns. According to the International Labor Organization, 42.6 percent of Filipino call center agents suffer from sleep disorders, fatigue, eye strain, neck, shoulder and back pains and voice problems. Other reports cite odd hours, irate clients, heavy workloads and other demands as driving BPO workers to early burnout. (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/169865/wellness-wake-up-call-for-sleepless-bpo-agents#ixzz3xcJD8yPr)

Here are the common illness a call center agent could get when exposed to BPO industry and some remedy to counter it.

1. High Blood Pressure

Working in a hectic schedules, stress from difficult and rude customers, lack of sleep, little to no exercise, drinking and smoking abuse. These are the common components why the blood pressure starts to sky rocket.

Remedy: Eat healthy foods. Get more fruits, vegetable, whole-grains and potassium rich food which can help prevent and control high blood pressure. Reduce your comsumption salty and fatty food, oh yes and I mean frenchfries, burgers, pork liempo, fried chicken, etc. If you are overweight lose a few pounds and do a regular physical activity. Limit alcohol intake and don't smoke. Manage your stress and practice healthy coping techniques such as muscle relaxation and deep breathing. Getting enough sleep would also help.

2. Respiratory problems

Too much humidity and cold brought by the air conditioned room plus carpeted floors makes it prone for agents to get respiratory problems such as pneumonia, asthma, bronchitis, and allergy. On some cases, agents shares the same stations or they have no permanent station or working cubicles which makes them more susceptible to any communicable diseases.

Remedy: Early detection is key to prevent the condition to get worst and others from being infected. Getting medical attention, drink plenty of water or fresh juices and rest should be enough to overcome this illness. Wear comfortable and warm clothes to protect you from cold.

3. Acoustic shock

Acoustic shock used to describe the symptoms a person may experience after hearing an unexpected, loud sound via a telephone. Whether it's the shouting and cursing screams from rude callers or static noises and electrical feedback coming from headsets call center agents are prone to this type of disorder.

Remedy: Try to lower down the volume of the headset when taking in calls and adjust it accordingly and never set it to the maximum. When hearing loud noises remove the headset from your ear immediately.

4. Voice loss

Talking over the phone for a long period of time could lead to dry and sore throat due to lack of moisture from drinking little water. In some cases, the strain in your vocal can produce inflammation of the larynx, swelling of the vocal chords, and ulceration on the lips.

Remedy: Drink plenty of water and make sure that you have enough rest. Do not strain the vocal chords further if you have this condition, it could get worst and prolong the recovery.

5. Ulcer

Due to the busy schedule and adhering to scheduled lunch and breaks, the inability to eat on time could lead to ulcer.

Remedy: Make sure that you eat on time if not atleast try to eat little meals in between shift or during breaks.

6. Carpal tunnels syndrome

It occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the palm of the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist. Since most of the time agents spends a large amount of time in front of the computer they are more prone. It could affect teh fingers that would lead to numbness of the hand.

Remedy: Avoid repetitive stress, work modification through the use of ergonomic equipment such as wrist rest and mouse pad, and taking proper breaks. Eat food rich in omega-3 fatty acids and B vitamins help to prevent CTS.

7. Lung cancer

Smoking causes lung cancer and most agents resolve to smoking when relieving their stress or when bored during small break or just to past time. Long term exposure to tobacco could lead to lung problems and in severe cases lung cancer.

Remedy: Stop smoking. Period.

8. Urinary tract infection

Both men and women are prone to suffer from UTI because of little or no time to go on peepee break. Agents tends to address first their clients and sometimes forget to go on bio breaks thus resolving to UTI.

Remedy: Wear diaper... kidding, just be aware of your breaks and plan to unload on each breaks or lunch break.

9. Depression/Anxiety

When you lost the chance to have a little freedom to relax because your leave was not approved. When you didn't meet the metrics or facing a lot of objections from a rude customer leading to unhappiness and worry. Depression is a very serious matter that needs attention.

Remedy: Try to do activities that is relaxing like swimming, yoga, sports, or meditation. It helps a lot to calm you inner self.

10. Insomnia

It is a sleep disorder in which there is an inability to fall asleep or to stay asleep as long as desired. The inability to sleep on the normal time could lead to insomnia. Especially when one have no choice but to follow the tight working shift schedule. This could affect the body biological clock as the normal sleeping pattern are lost.



Remedy: Do not drink too much caffeine before going to sleep. Turn off appliances like TV or radio. Remove computers inside your bedroom to prevent constant checking of status and notifications from your FB or Twitter accounts.






Some other illness were Anemia and Gall Bladder diseases but they are related to lack of sleep, iron deficiency and sunlight, and obesity. We need to take care of our health because it is the source of our wealth! Taking vitamin C and other supplement is good but nothing beats complete rest, exercise, and healthy diet. God Bless!




(source: http://simplengcallcenteragent.blogspot.com/2013/08/call-center-agent-illness.html)

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12 Effective Ways to Lose Weight without Dieting

Losing weight fast can be easy as far as dieting is concerned although this is not for everyone. Dieting involves sticking into certain food groups and consuming lesser servings. This type of weight loss method can be effective only to those who have the will and determination to lose weight in an instant. Once an individual achieves his/her weight loss goal in a short amount of time, it is more likely that the person will go back to his/her own eating habits because of deprivation. Why do you need to lose weight fast when you will get it back after a few days or weeks?

It is still recommended to lose weight slowly to shed those extra pounds permanently. Dieting is not necessary to achieve this goal; all you need are a few changes in your habits and way of life plus a little self control.

The following methods are proven effective to shed-off those extra fats one at a time:

1. Get a good night sleep

Getting adequate sleep prevents the body from storing fats. People who don’t get the recommended 7 to 8 hours of sleep per day are more likely to crave for sweets and starches which is a normal effect of sleep deprivation. In addition, the stress hormone called “cortisol” is more likely to develop in your body; this is associated to belly fat. Instead of staying-up late and think of ways to lose weight, why don’t you get a good night sleep and try to dream of a sexier you?

2. Eat breakfast regularly

Did you think that skipping breakfast can prevent weight gain because it cuts your daily calorie intake? Though it can be true, it is more probable that people who skip breakfast end up eating more throughout the day. Also, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Your body derives all the nutrients from the food that you had for breakfast to startup your morning which makes you more alert and perform better. Always remember to eat breakfast like a king.

3. Chew your food

Digestion starts in the mouth. Chewing your food well before eating makes it easy for the digestive system to digest your food. Chewing is also a good way to enjoy the taste of the food without consuming too much of it. It can also be an effective way to exercise your jaw.

4. Reduce portions

Instead of eating a cup of rice or 8 ounces of steak, why don’t you cut it by 25%? If you feel that this amount does not deprive you in enjoying your food then that is the way to go. Cutting-off a small portion of your food consistently lets you consume lesser calories; it also gradually prepares your stomach to adjust making you feel full faster.

5. Eat protein rich foods

Eating foods with lean protein on your meal makes you feel full longer and reduces your food cravings. This also gives you the additional energy to complete whatever task that you are into without feeling hungry right away. Protein is also attributed to muscle growth. If you need to build some muscles while losing weight then this is the way to go.

6. Eat only when you are hungry

You should only eat food when there is a need for it. Our body sends a hungry signal to our brain only when the need arises. This simply means that you will only feel hungry if your body has digested all the food that you last ate. Some people divert to food when stressed or bored. Instead of eating, why don’t you do some thing productive to improve yourself like reading, jogging, or visiting panlasangpinoy.com? Hmmm…the last suggestion might make you feel hungrier although you will learn a lot of vital information – isn’t it a good start of your being productive?

7. Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

 

Eating low fat and low calorie fruits and vegetables before a meal is healthy. This can also serve as fillers that make you feel full which results in lesser consumption of whatever is served in your plate. Fruits and vegetables also improve your immune system that gives you protection against sickness.

8. Choose Whole Grain Foods

Eating whole grain foods such as brown rice, whole wheat bread, popcorn, and pasta provides your body with more fiber. Fiber keeps your bowel movement regular and removes carcinogens from our stomach. If you are feeling bloated, fiber is the solution.

9. Avoid eating while watching TV

 

DON'T

Watching the TV or doing something else while eating can distract you in counting or quantifying the amount of food that you should be consuming. This can also lead to a bad habit of continuously eating while your favorite TV show is airing. If you cannot avoid it, you can place enough food on your plate but never reach out for a refill. If you are eating chips from a bag, transfer a reasonable amount in a sandwich bag or bowl.

10. Learn to cook

Learning how to cook gives you the freedom to cook any food you want; this also saves you from gaining more pounds from depending on fast foods. If losing weight is your goal then you should learn how to cook healthy foods that can aid in your weight loss initiative. You can always learn how to cook by visiting panlasangpinoy.com. For starters, you may want to try these healthy recipes: Lumpiang Sariwa, Sautéed bitter melon, Braised vegetables, Sautéed Mung Bean Sprouts.

11. Exercise regularly

Nothing beats regular exercise to lose weight. Exercising need not to be tedious and exhausting. A few minutes of walk per day should do you good. You can even exercise in a more productive way such as cleaning the house, mowing the lawn, doing the laundry, and walking your dog.

12. Be patient

Put in mind that losing weight permanently is a slow process. Do not rush things up as it might ruin your goal. Always remember that losing weight fast can lead you to gain weight faster.




(source: http://panlasangpinoy.com/2010/03/12/12-effective-ways-to-lose-weight-without-dieting/)

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Why it's Hard to Lose Weight and What to Do About It

If you listen to the weight loss industry, you've been told over and over how easy it is to lose weight--just take this pill, follow that diet or buy this piece of equipment and everything will melt away in a flash. In fact, we spend over billions of dollars each year on weight loss products and services and yet we're still overweight.

If you struggle with weight loss, as most of us do, you've figured out just how hard it is to lose weight.

The question is, why is it so hard and is there anything you can do about it?  There's no shortcut to weight loss, but you can make the process easier with a few simple changes.

Complex Problems, Simple Solutions

The idea behind weight loss is simple--burn more calories than you eat. This can be accomplished by replacing a couple of sodas with water and adding at least 30 minutes of exercise every day.

Sounds simple...and it is. If it's that simple, why can't we seem to do it?

There are a number of factors that contribute to our weight gain that you already know. But it's not just about finding time to exercise or choosing the salad over the burger--it's about genuine commitment to make healthy decisions every day....regardless of what's happening in your life. If you're not ready to make some changes, losing weight will be hard. Below are 10 things you'll need to look at in order to get yourself on a healthy track.

1. Your Attitude.

If you're only on a health kick to lose weight or look a certain way, it will be hard to lose weight permanently. Why? Because, what happens if you don't see results quickly enough?

You give up.

Weight loss is a great goal, but unless you have something else to motivate you, what's to keep you going if the scale doesn't budge? It takes time to lose weight--how will you motivate yourself in the meantime? Find more reasons to be healthy--having more energy, dealing with health problems or just feeling stronger and more energetic.

Keep an exercise journal and write down every single success, whether you're losing weight or not.

2. Your Workouts.

If you don't workout consistently enough, it's hard to lose weight. Yes, it's possible to lose weight through diet alone, but you'll likely hit a plateau. You don't need to spend hours in the gym, you only need to set up a reasonable workout schedule that you can follow each week. It's not about killing yourself with workouts--it's about finding something you like and that you'll continue with for the rest of your life. You have to be willing to be more active on a regular basis--not just for a week here and there. My Beginner's Corner can give you some idea of where to start.

3. Your Eating.

Changing the way you eat is another thing you're going to have to do for long-lasting weight loss. You need to be willing to replace unhealthy foods with healthier choices most of the time.  That means:

•     Keeping a food journal
•     Spending more time in the grocery store reading food labels
•     Spending more time preparing meals
•     Understanding proper portion sizes
•     Making conscious choices about what you put in your mouth.

For permanent weight loss, you need to pay attention to what you eat and make good choices more often than not. Maybe a structured diet eventually ends, but healthy eating never stops...there will never be a time when you're done eating healthy.

You might feel you're sacrificing the good stuff (pizza, fast food, etc.) and your life won't be fun if you can't have those foods. Guess what? You can still have them...just not whenever you want. Are you ready to make these changes? Are you ready to stop giving your body the most convenient thing available (and often the most fatty) and, instead, spend time planning what and when you'll eat? Because that's what it takes to really lose weight and keep it off.

4. Your Lifestyle.

If you want a healthy life, you have to be willing to change how you live. It doesn't mean changing everything overnight, but simply being open to new ways of doing things. Some things you might need to change for a healthy life are:

•     Daily Routines. You may need to get up earlier to prepare your lunch or squeeze in a workout, use your lunch hour for exercise or go for a walk after work instead of watching TV. Exercising on a daily basis changes your entire day, so sitting down with your schedule to see where those changes need to happen is your first step in establishing an exercise habit. 

•     Limits. You might need to set new rules for yourself limiting how much TV you watch or how long you sit at the computer. You'll need to pay attention to how you spend your time and where you're out of balance so you can add more movement.

•     Your Pantry. I'm the kind of person who will eat an entire bag of Doritoes if they're in the house. That means I don't keep them in the house and if someone (ahem...husband) brings them home, he must immediately re-locate them elsewhere. If you want to be healthy, you may need to get rid of those foods you just can't resist.

•     Your Schedule. If you're not willing to sit down and change the way you live each day to include exercise, time to prepare meals and time to nurture yourself with sleep, it's hard to lose weight. People use busy schedules as an excuse not to be healthy...are you one of them? If you're not ready to take responsibility for the schedule you've created, it will be hard to lose weight.

5. Your Surroundings.

Sometimes, you can't control the things around you. At work, you may be surrounded by temptations--donuts, vending machines and the like. That's just one thing you have to deal with, but what about your home?

Surround yourself with things that will support you in your efforts to get healthy. That might mean spending some money on home workout equipment, setting up a corner of the house for your gear or commandeering the TV a few nights a week to do an exercise video.


Set up an environment that encourages those healthy choices and reminds you of them--just walking into my kitchen and seeing that bowl of fresh fruit is often enough to remind me of all the healthy choices I'll need to make that day.

6. Your Support System.

While getting healthy may be something you're doing on your own, it's a big help to have a support system.

At the very least, family members who understand what you're doing and are either willing to participate or help. If you have a spouse who wants to continue eating the kinds of foods that tempt you, you need a plan to deal with that so you can still reach your goals and keep your relationship together.

Try to surround yourself with people who support what you're doing and avoid those people (like that co-worker who always offers you a donut even though you refuse on a daily basis) who don't. A workout buddy is also an excellent idea for support.

7. Your Spiritual and Mental Health.

If you have other reasons for being overweight--past hurts that you've used food to deal with, depression or other problems, it's hard to lose weight.

For many of us, food is a comfort and something we've relied on all of our lives to help us deal with emotional problems.

If that's the case for you, pinpointing those behaviors and what drives them is important for becoming aware of what you're doing and why. A counselor can help you with this or take some time to read about emotional eating.

Be willing to learn why you make the choices you make and to confront them.

8. Your Goals.

If you've set impossible goals, you are guaranteed to fail. Weight loss becomes hard to achieve if you feel like a constant failure...who wants to feel like that? If that's how your weight loss experience is, it's no wonder you keep quitting.

The key is to set reasonable goals. So what is reasonable? That's going to be different for each person depending on your genetics, eating habits, exercise, and metabolism to name a few. You're better off setting a long-term goal (whether it's to lose weight or compete in a race) and then focusing your attention on daily or weekly goals. Your weekly goal might be to get in 3 cardio workouts, minimum. Pick things you KNOW you'll achieve so you're always successful. It can be as small as you like, as long as it's reachable.

9. Your Flexibility.

You hear a lot about lifestyle changes, but it's daily choices that really test you. What happens if you have to work late and you can't get to the gym? Or what if you get stuck in traffic and miss your fitness class? Any number of things can happen in a day that may throw you off track.

The trick is to be flexible. It helps if you're always prepared--keep some workout shoes in the car so you can stop off at the park for a quick walk. Keep some food handy so if you get stuck in traffic, you get a snack in before your workout. Often people skip workouts because something comes up and they simply aren't ready for it or they aren't willing to give themselves other options--can't do 45 minutes? Why not just do 10 minutes? Something is always better than nothing.

10. Your Willingness to Fail.

You will not be perfect every day. As a perfectionist, I have to say that is a frustrating concept for me but, the truth is, everyone (even perfectionists) has good days and bad days. On the good days, you'll eat all your fruits and veggies, say no to that pizza and do your workout even though you're tired.

On the bad days, you'll wake up late, forget to bring your lunch, have an extra piece of cake at your friend's birthday party and skip your workout. The bad days will happen if you're a human being. The trick is to never give up, even when you mess up. Work on overcoming your fear of failure and remember that you're not a loser just because you make some mistakes...you're simply a person trying his or her best to make good decisions.

(source: http://exercise.about.com/od/weightloss/a/10_weightloss.htm)

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10 Health Tips for Call Center Agents

I have always thought of the ‘call center diet’ as cigarette, coffee and lots of junk foods.  Well, I can say that also to almost everyone who works on deadlines all day or night in front of a computer, inside an office or a home office like virtual assistants, graphic artists, writers and bloggers.

Sedentary lifestyle takes a whole new different meaning since the entry of personal computers – before it was beer and television, now it’s a more productive version but no less dangerous than the previous description.

 Some of the health issues attributed to this type of working environment are:

• Stress
• Disrupted Body Clock
• Boredom
• Urinary Tract Infection
• Back aches
• Unhealthy lifestyle and food choices
• More Stress

Call Center Agents, specially those who work at night, are at high risk of developing unfavorable health conditions and for that they need special care.  A special lifestyle and diet that will keep them healthy in spite of the stressful work conditions.

Call Center Agents, specially those who work at night, are at high risk of developing unfavorable health conditions and for that they need special care.  A special lifestyle and diet that will keep them healthy in spite of the stressful work conditions.  But first, let us find out why would people want to work as a Call Center Agent?  Let’s take a look for example the benefits that SYKES Philippines (a 17 years old call center company in the Philippines) are offering its applicants:

• Night Differential
• Overtime Pay
• Meal Allowance
• Transportation Allowance
• Medical Insurance
• Above par vacation and sick leaves entitlement
• Life and Accident Insurance
• Maternity Leave
• Paternity Leave
• Solo Parent Leave
• Certification Allowance
• Technical Allowance
• Tenure Allowance
• Performance Incentive Allowance
• Employee Referral Incentives
• Language Allowance

That, plus an above average basic pay?  Who can refuse that kind of offer?  To sum it up, People are the greatest asset of a Call Center business – that’s why they are also their greatest priority.  Management have always taken into consideration the many health hazards of working in the call center industry that is why you see them putting up their own in-house Fitness Center.

However, call center companies are only limited to providing the facilities that will aid their people to remain healthy and it is still up to the agent to develop a habit or a counter-culture lifestyle that will enable him or her to do the job minus the health risks.

Here are some health tips on how to keep you functioning like a well-oiled machine while working as a Call Center Agent.

10 Health Tips for Call Center Agents

1. Hydrate!  Drink lots of water, but since your main tool in the business is your voice – it is advised that you stay away from cold water.  Clean tap water would be sufficient.  Drink lots of it, it will lubricate your throat and keep your voice in tip-top shape.

2. Stay away from Caffeine and Cigarettes!  While this habit would seem to make you feel more relaxed and alert, too much of it would be detrimental to your health.  Not to mention that it also brings you bad breath and foul body odor.  Cigarette smoking is also a precursor to many diseases like cancer, hypertension and many others.  Coffee has antioxidants but like I said it also has caffeine and too much of a good thing is bad for you.

3. If you can’t stay away from old habits then schedule it.  Make it creative so that you can remember it like: Caffeine Friday, Tea Tuesday, Water Wednesday, Veggie Thursday and Fruit Monday.

4. Make sleep part of the job!  Clock in and have a non-interrupted 6 to 7 hour sleep every day.  Sleep is the only way for the body to re-energize (not those silly energy drinks – stay away from those as well) and recuperate (repair damage tissues and fight off diseases).

5. Learn the art of relaxation.  Believe it or not – it’s all in the breathing.  When you are under a lot of stress, stop for a while and monitor your breathing.  Inhale deeply and exhale slowly while counting silently until all air in your lung expires and repeat it until you are totally relaxed.

6. Take quick stretch breaks.  Stretches releases tension and also increases blood flow in areas that have remained idle for some time.  Do it at least every two hours.


7. Bring an apple to work.  Fruits are not only nutritious, they are also great equalizers.  Apples and Bananas can already pack you with enough nutrients to get your body working properly every day.

8. Hey, Exercise!  Your company can’t stress enough the importance of exercise in your line of work.  Do some threads, jump some jacks and pick-up some weights.  Get that blood flowing and sweat those excess fats out of your body.

9. Balanced Meals – that is the key to optimum health.  Unless you have a health condition, you can eat anything but always in moderation.  Working in the BPO  industry is no excuse for not being able to get a balanced meal.  Meat (protein), Veggies (fiber) and rice (carbohydrates) is an example of a balanced meal.  There are many ways to get it.  Bring your own food (BYOF) – ever heard of the word ‘Baon’?  Choose, plan and use your breaks wisely.  Stop taking photos of your meals on Instagram and just eat the damn food so you’ll never complain of not having enough time to eat during break time.

10. Lastly, take supplements!  If you think you’re not getting enough nutrients and you’ve already developed some very nasty habits while working as a call center agent?  Then, taking the right food supplements might help your body get back right on track.  I am a fan of FLP products – they’re a bit pricey but the quality of the products are just exceptional.  Here are a few suggestion:  Aloe Vera Gel Drink (for cleansing), Absorbent C (fiber plus vitamin C), a combination of GinChia (ginseng, golden chia, calcium, soy) and Royal Jelly for energy, vitality and over-all health.

(source: http://www.raindeocampo.com/2014/07/04/10-health-tips-for-call-center-agents/)

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TIPS ON DIETING FOR A CALL CENTER AGENT

Diet (nutrition), the sum of the food consumed by an organism or group

Dieting, the deliberate selection of food to control body weight or nutrient intake

Diet food, foods that aid in dieting

Wikipedia defines a diet with the statements above, but for a typical call center agent, we define diet to be nothing more than a way to fit in our pants.

Most Pinoy agents are fat, obese, or unhealthy, and this is expected from a job where you sit 8 hours a day in front of the computer.  To keep awake and the mind active during those wee hours of the night, one needs to eat sweets and drink coffee.  Most work shifts also change, so your dinner time today can become your breakfast time by next month - this confuses your body and you end up craving for food when its time to go to sleep.

So I've collated some ideas that can help us agents eat right.  Again, I am not a doctor nor a grocer so these tips do not have a nutritional standpoint.  Every sane human already knows that vegetables are good, and we should snack on fruits etc. etc. blah. blah...

These tips are from personal experiences and from workmates.  Some tips are just plain common sense, some may seem silly, but still, these worked for me.

1)  Note what you Eat

I get a notebook and write down what I have eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  That way I can monitor if I have been eating meat a lot lately and if I should balance it out with some veggies.

Pati kinder alam na ang puro karne e masama sa katawan.  Bukod sa maari ka ma-constipate, madami pa itong negatibong epekto pag sobra .  Masarap nga ang Karne, pero di masarap ang kanser.  

Ano ang masama sa pag kain ng gulay paminsan-minsan?

2)  Not always Fried  

I love fried foods myself, but fried food will introduce a lot of oil in your bodies.  Juggle  the type of foods that you dine on, from fried, to boiled, to steamed, to raw.   A little variety can go a long way in helping our bodies.

3)  Do not make sweet drinks a habit

Even if there's bottomless juices, free vendo machines, and cheap soda fountains in your office - try not to form a sweet drink habit.  Limit your coffee and sweets to one to two cups a day and drink plenty of water to compensate.

Pag nagka diabetes ka, mas di mo na maeenjoy ang kahit anong matamis...

4)  Do not skip meals

Skipping meals is just plain unhealthy, you will just crave for more food to compensate for the meal you missed.  You can also develop hyper-acidity and ulcers.  It's true that there are times you have to skip meals because of work, but do not do it deliberately to get thin - that's not the proper way to lose weight.

5)  Eat right for the Right Reasons

I have met so many people who watch what they eat because they want to look good.  They go on fad diets and they do lose a bit of weight, but after a while, they regain every kilo back two-fold.  

Dieting is eating right to keep healthy.  Do not deprive yourself.

6)  Bring packed lunches

Fastfood's are silent killers filled with transfat and msg.  Nothing beats food you cooked and prepared at home.

Tipid ka pa sa gastos.

7)  Watch the invites

Unless you are a loner or a weirdo you will make office friends, and friends in call centers equate to eating out a lot.  Try not to join in their lunch outs if you feel that you've been eating a lot of junk lately.

Pwede ding wag ka makipag-friends kahit kanino, pero ang sad nun...

Can you suggest other dieting tips?

(source: http://www.callcentersurvivalph.com/2013/02/tips-on-dieting-for-call-center-agent.html)

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The Pros and Cons of Working in a Call Center in the Philippines

My purpose of writing this article is for people who are planning to get into the Call Center Industry and as well for people who are currently in the Industry to mainly re-evaluate their career in this field.

Let us start with the Pros of working in a Call Center in the Philippines:

Working in a Call Center is considered as one of the most high-paying job in the Philippines.

University diploma is usually not required as long as you are 18 years old, you are knowledgeable in using the computer and most Microsoft office applications and you speak good English, you are eligible to apply.

The trainings are also free; you get to be compensated already while you are on training. There is also no age-limit.Even students can work in a Call Center since the Schedules are very flexible day and night, so they can work nights and study mornings or vice versa, being said that for everyone’s sake yes guys, there are also Day Shifts in Call centers, most clients are Australians and people from the UK.

Most Call Centers also provide their employees Health cards for them and their family. They also provide you with Term Life Insurance Plans and even Tuition Fee reimbursements. On most companies also upon regularization you get additional perks and privileges like Appraisals, Rice Subsidy and Gym discounts and a lot more.
Talking on a different page if you are single and ready to mingle, the Call Center industry also gets large pool of Good Looking men and women as most of them are yuppies and newly grads.

Gaining promotions in this industry is also easy; if you’re a team player, and you are knowledgeable enough to handle your tasks efficiently then you can get a promotion. What is also different is that in the Call Center Industry, you can get apromotion as early as 3 months, unlikely to that of the regular jobs.

And I guess the least that they realize is that they get to experience indirectly how it is to work overseas specifically in the united states, they also get the chance to jump into the western culture since most of the
clients/customer’s they are dealing with are westerns.

After the Pros, It’s time to talk about the Cons:

Since most of the clients of Call Center in the Philippines are Western Countries like The United States, Canada and the like, most of the Call Centers in the Philippines starts their operations during the night since
the Philippine time is directly opposite to the time in the United states and Canada and the like, so these means Night Shifts and Graveyard shifts for their employees.There is also no assurance of retaining a specific schedule throughout the year compared to normal day jobs, in a call center shifts are flexi meaning it can change on a weekly basis, monthly or quarterly too which also means that there are no guarantees that you will get a week-end rest.

You at times may also have to work on Philippine Holidays since you are following a different calendar, time and also you are supporting a different country with a whole different sets of their own holidays, so more likely that you will also follow their holidays instead, but take note that there are also 24/7 accounts so the operations is 24 hours a day and 7 days a week which means that at time you might also work even on your client’s holidays.

Health is one of the greatest risk in this industry if you do not know how to balance your work – home life, since you most likely work at night, you tend to sleep all day long when everyone else is up and you may also lose your Body Clock and may most likely be a result of non-regular meal times and eating habits, lastly Call Center agents accounts to at least 30-40% of tobacco use in the country.

Domestic issues and other sort of relationship issues from family and friends and everyone else may also account to this type of job since it is a bit challenging for you to cope up to everyone in your family and with your friends who are most likely working the normal day jobs. Turning to the other page, Call Center people party hard during the Morning and also gets that tendencies of being alcoholic because drinking in the
morning after shifts helps you sleep better in the morning when the sun is shining bright.Not to mention the risks of you getting hold-up, snatched and abused when traveling going to work on wee hours.

Lastly when your client or so called accounts in the CC you are into pulled out or closed down, you will have to either resign or wait in floating status for you to transferred into any other clients/accounts available.

Now that you are aware of the Pros and Cons of working in a call center in The Philippines, It is all up to you if you will live up to the challenge and get paid really BIG Time or stick with the regular low-paying Day Jobs.

(Source: http://www.callcenterphilippinesblog.com/pros-and-cons-of-working-in-a-call-center/)

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