Managing your life while in BPO

Working in this industry is usually a night shift. If you are working for an Australian account, most likely that is a morning shift; if it is a UK account, most likely, it starts in the afternoon & if it is a US account, most likely that is a night shift. This job is a “manual–labor–intensive–job” that requires physical presence thus it is important that you come to work based on your schedule. There are traffic along the way but that is inevitable. Way back Skyway is not yet constructed, there is traffic. Way back MRT is not yet constructed there is traffic. And that was way back years ago. For Filipinos who are “hopeless romantic,” na anak ng anak, the population will continue to grow and with people flocking in the urban side, expect traffic always.

Working in this industry has its risk and rewards. The only question now is whether the risk will be a curse for you or the rewards is a blessing for your future. Some of the risk would be health issues. If you are hypertensive, asthmatic or plain diurnal and you have no choice but to have this job, chances are you will not survive. However, if you are highly analytical with previous job experience in another industry which you know you can integrate in this industry and will be effective, this job would be very easy for you.

Time management is very important if you would like to keep your job in this industry. Since your job is usually in the evening, you just need to leverage your time with the predictable such as your travelling time, your sleeping time and your time to socialize.

Twenty years ago, cell phones doesn’t have an alarm feature. Nowadays it has. If this job allows you to be able to buy that cell phone, it make sense that you use that cell phone as well to keep this job. Most cell phones even the basic one allows you to program an alarm system either for week or per day. Your schedule is already plotted either two weeks or one month ahead of time thus there is no excuse if you are coming to work late. If your shift starts at 9pm then “program” your cell phone to alarm every 7pm or earlier so you will not be late. 

If your account has incentive system for “no late–no absent” and the incentive is say, 1000 pesos. If you ride on a taxi and pay 100 pesos as fare just for you not to be late, may 900 pesos ka pa na hindi magagalaw sa sweldo mo. You just need to rationalize what you have and the predictive value of what you will be getting in the future.

Another thing you need to manage is your financial capability. Money experts always says “Live beyond your means.” Kung ang take home pay mo eh 7500 pesos per cut off, pagkasyahin mo na lang yon. Others will say, “hindi nga kasya eh.” The only reason na hindi yan magkakasya is if you don’t know what is a “necessity” and what is a “luxury.” If you don’t live beyond your means then wala kang pinagkaiba sa mga customer na humihingi ng payment arrangement kasi walang pambayad sa lifestyle na di nila kaya!! Makaka–emphathize ka ng todo–todo!!!

Example is cigarette. Walang pambili ng pagkain pero merong pang–sigarilyo. Assuming that in those three breaks that you have, you will smoke one cigarette and a cigarette is say 5 pesos each. Let’s do the math then,

          5 pesos x 3 per day = 15 pesos per day

          15 pesos per day x 5 days = 75 pesos per week

          75 pesos per week x 4 weeks = 300 pesos per month

This is if you are just smoking when you are at work, eh paano kung nasa bahay ka? Ilan pa yung hihithitin mo? Is cigarette a necessity or a luxury? “Necessity” are those things that you need to survive and “luxury” are those things you can buy if you have excess money from “investment.” The mistake here is that people are integrating luxury in their list of necessity to have an alibi to have it.

Other factor that you need to consider is your fare in going to work. Your place of work should be near your home. Most recruiters during interview will ask you, “What is your means of transportation?” and “What is your travel time?” and of course maraming palusot ang aplikante pero pag nale–late na isang katutak pa rin ang palusot!!!

There are also other “unpredicted expenditure” like team building or dine out or drinking spree wherein you need to chip in to be a part of the pack. There are instances wherein saying “no” is mandatory for the sake of your future. The “old school” concept of team building is, it is an “outdoor educational activity” that demonstrates how a team can work together to achieve a common goal. Nowadays, team building is technically an “excursion” where you will either dine out or have an out of town trip. The notion was that in doing so, there will be “bonding” in the team. Despite the “one time bonding” that happen, the “palpable” effect of that activity still doesn’t translate to a solidified team thereby defeating the purpose.

Common health issues in this industry would be hypertension and asthma. Though in other industry it is common, in this industry, it is rampant and exacerbated because of the nocturnal nature of the job. I’ve seen people drinking coffee and at the same time smoking cigarette that is a sure recipe to grave. Nicotine and caffeine is not a good combination. Coffee is an anti–oxidant but when combined with cigarette, it creates “free radicals” which is not good for the health.

This job use to be for the “retirees” who are still capable of working since it just requires you to talk over the phone but nowadays, it is an entry level job for college graduate. College graduate who wasn’t able to get in to the industry they finished. There is nothing wrong with it. It’s just that you need to make the best out of it. When you entered in this industry in good shape, make sure you will leave in superior shape and with sharpness of skills. There are a lot of people out there who will be better than you. People who are adaptable to change. Will you still be confident if you are paired side by side with those kind of people? Or will you feel insecure that you need to drag them down to your level just to measure up?