Five Tips to Stay Fit and Fab Even When Working in Graveyard Shifts

More often than not, working in a call center company means working in shifting schedules. In the Philippine BPO Industry, the work schedule in call centers is usually at night. As a result, your biological clock will be altered which may cause an impact on one's health conditions.

In fact, based on some studies more and more call center agents are having weight problems. Alarmingly, the number of obese call center agents are getting higher.

So, the one million dollar question is, 

How can we stay fit and fab even when working in graveyard shifts?

The answer is... 

It is just a matter of making adjustments.

Let me share some tips on how to stay healthy even when you're working on a graveyard shift. 

* Graveyard shift is any non-standard work schedule in which hours are commonly or always rendered outside the period between 7AM and 6PM.


Tip #1: Always have a good sleep. 

- Make sleep a priority. An uninterrupted 7-8 hours sleep is advisable. To have a good sleep, it is helpful to try simulating night-time sleeping conditions. Make the room temperature colder and make the room darker. What I personally do, I use dark colored curtains in my room's window to make my room darker and more conducive for sleeping.

Tip #2: Eat right. 

- The digestive system slows down at night that is why night workers should eat light during shift and just eat moderate breakfast. Eat slowly and relax during meals, allow time for digestion. Drink lots of water, keep a bottle of water at your desk.

Tip#3: Exercise. 

- Do moderate exercise prior to going to work. A 15-minute exercise is good enough when being done daily. Move around at the office, work around the work area during breaks. Exercise will increase body temperature and will keep you awake. Find a gym buddy to avoid getting bored at the gym.

Tip #4: Avoid Smoking, alcohol and drugs. 

Smoking weakens your immune system thus, making you more prone to sickness. Alcohol can cause mental problems and may damage your liver in the long run. Drugs can kill healthy cell thus making you look old and ugly.

Tip #5: Stay connected with your loved ones. 

- Inform your family and friends about your work schedule. Call home and talk to your loved ones when they are awake. This would be before or after your shift. Set some private time for you and your spouse. Schedule one meal a day with your love ones. Set time for family activities. Moral and emotional support from family and friends will help you cope up with stress and prevent depressions.