Call Center Stay-Sane Tips

 

Today, I'm starting at a new call center. I worked at one for over a year and I'm having to remember how I kept myself sane.   So, for all of you call center buddies, here is a list of some things to write in your notebook, because that's usually all that is on your desk. Here we go...

1. Plan a vacation- While you're sitting there, plan an awesome vacation. Plan out every single detail down to every dollar needed to save up and what it will go to.  Plan the time, the location, and duration!

2. Write your favorite baby names (I think girls enjoy this more than boys).   Then write the ugliest baby names EVER!

3. Write down every crazy name that you call, that can get really fun! Have your co workers do it too and at the end of the day, share all the ridiculous names!

4.  Keep a tally of all the angry people, weird answering machines, etc you get in a day. It's kind of funny to think about as the day goes on.

5. Write a letter to someone who lives far away, or even someone who doesn't. Let them know you're thinking of them.

6. Plan what you're going to do after work. Go to the gym? Relax and watch a movie?

7. Make a list of all the movies you haven't seen but want to, or a list of the weirdest movies you've ever seen.

8. Make a list of all the places you want to travel in your life

9. Make a budget (I did this and it was really motivating because I was planning where my money would go from work)

10. Make a list of books you want to read.

11. Draw and doodle- that's the best!

12. Write in your notebook as a journal- Just make sure people aren't looking!

13. Bring colored pensils and color the whole page!

14. Make a list of all the things you would change in our country if you were president

15. Make a list of things you want to change about yourself (goals)

16. Write poems, stories, or song lyrics

17. If it's allowed, play hang man with the person next to you

18. Create a game. Write down all the rules and details of the game. When you get home, try it out with some friends. Or try it out on your break!

19. Make a list of new things you can bring to work next time to spice things up.   For example:

                           Wednesday: Bring Jamba Juice-A new flavor I've never tried
                           Friday: Bring a sandwich from the new deli by my house for lunch

20. Make a list of all the people you talk to who have the same names as celebrities.  I got a Robin Williams once!

If you have any other ones, add 'em on! We call center folk have to stick together!
                          

Fun things to do INSIDE when it's too cold OUTSIDE

Hey guys!

If you live anywhere near where I do, it's freezing outside!  But instead of complaining about it, try to have fun with it. This is the only time of year when we really want to be inside, the rest of the year we usually want to be out and about.  So take advantage of the cold, and channel your inner hermit during this bleak winter.  Also, feel free to leave your own ideas, the more the merrier!

1. Make some hot cocoa and snuggle up on the couch to a good book.  Here is NBC's list of the top 10 books to snuggle up with this winter:
                -“The Double Bind” by Chris Bohjalian
                -“Him Her Him Again The End of Him” by Patricia Marx
                -“Skylight Confessions” by Alice Hoffman
                -“Ask Again Later” by Jill Davis
                -“Because She Can” by Bridie Clark
                -“Stealing Buddha's Dinner: A Memoir” by Bich Minh Nguyen
                -“Sacred Games” by Vikram Chandra
                -“Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and            Indonesia” by Elizabeth Gilbert
                 -“Nineteen Minutes” by Jodi Picoult
                 -“Whitethorn Woods” by Maeve Binchy

         
          check out the descriptions here:  http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/17167461/ns/today-today_weekend_edition/t/books-snuggle-winter/#.UPKpeneIhww

2. Watch movies! Have a movie marathon of your favorite series!
3. Bake some cookies! Pinterest is always full of yummy cookies!
    
    I made these last year and they were gone in a couple hours. Here's the recipe: S'mores Bars
            http://passthesushi.com/smores-bars/

4. Take a bubble bath
5. Start a book club, switch off where you meet every week/month so that everyone takes turns traveling in the cold.
6. Build a fort, just like when you were a kid
7. Play games! Card games, board games, video games, whatever! 
8. Clean your house! It might seem lame but if you get it done now, then when it's warmer, you can enjoy being outside more.
9. Write a book, blog, or just browse around the internet.  Check out other people's blogs or learn something new from the internet.
10. Dance! Put on some music and dance. By yourself, or with someone, it doesn't matter. Just close the blinds and no one will know!
11. Write a letter to someone you love or find a pen pal to write to. I always wanted to do that, I think it would be refreshing to talk to someone you don't see every day and will probably never meet.
12. Play music or sing. Learn a new instrument in the winter months and perform for fun in the summer! 
13. Start a craft! Scrapbooking, quote board making, sewing, beading, they're all fun!
14. Pull out the old picture box and look at old memories!
15. Listen to music.  It's amazing what it can do for your mood.
16. Take a nap!
17. Plan a vacation in the future, plan out every detail
18. Re-Organize your furniture, change everything up!
19. Write in your journal/diary.
20. Call friends or family and have a good chat

New Years Resolutions

Well, this year I have a whole slew of new years resolutions. This year is going to be my "Get ready year." I'm in the in between stage of my life because I'm married but I don't have any children yet. My goal is to have no regrets or resentments when I have my kids. I want to be as emotionally and physically ready as I can be.  Obviously, you can never be fully ready for kids, but I feel it is important for me to be as ready and educated as I can be.  SO, here are my resolutions...

1. Study up!
      Educate yourself on pregnancy, birth, and afterbirth so that when you're pregnant, you can be a     little more relaxed and confident.

2. Change of plans     
      Be okay when plans change. Don't have too high of expectations for every event and every person.

3.  Get away from TV
     Stop wasting time watching movies and exercise, read a book, or learn something.

4.  No gossiping
     There is a difference between explaining a problem you had, and just gossiping about someone.    Remember how you feel when people talk about you. 

5.  Be more confident
     Know that your opinion, no matter how controversial it is, is just as important as everyone else's. Don't let what people think about you make up who you are. And have the courage to let go of the people who don't care about you and always bring you down. 

6. Go on vacation!
    Go on vacation before you have kids so that you can feel that you did things for you before you had kids. Traveling with kids is ten times harder.

7. Accept it
    Accept what you can't change, and change what you can change. You can only control you and who you become. Accept life how it is and change yourself to be able to get past the bad stuff.

8. Be prepared
    Create a fool proof budget that is both strict but realistic to your life.  Save as much money as you can for your emergency fund, baby fund, and everything else that will come in the future. While you are working a full time job now, save your money to last when you won't be working later.

Feel free to leave your resolutions. It's always good to share and get ideas from each other!

Happy New Year everyone!