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!
                          

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!

How I love Board Games!

Since I got married, I've really enjoyed playing board games. Adam and I like strategic board games.  Some of our favorites are:

Bohnanza-A game where you trade beans and plant fields, but have to be smart in each move.  Pretty addictive.  

Carcassone- A game of building roads, churches and cities.  Another strategic game.

Citadels-A game where you earn money, have character cards with special abilities, and build districts.

If YOU have any fun board games you like to play, leave a comment. And you should all look into those games I mentioned :)

My Blog of Beautiful Things

The  meaning of Merle:
The reason I chose this name for my blog was because of an experience I had that really stuck with me.  I was living in a new town, trying to make it on my own.  I was desperately trying to make ends meet and the great life experience I was hoping for seemed to be a bust.  One night, a friend I had made played me the song "Blackbird" by The Beatles on his guitar.  The words rang true to me in this stage of my life.  I knew I needed to stay and try my hardest to keep afloat because there was something great that would come of it.  Well, I stayed for a while and learned some great lessons as well as grew up a little bit.  One of the things I learned was that we can all be free.  We can be free from our pain, free from our circumstance, and free from all of the bitterness in life, even if it's only in our minds. If we can find the little joys in life and cling to them, then the ugliness won't be so ugly.  So this is my blog of beautiful things.  I also chose the French word for Blackbird because I've always wanted to go to Paris. I am a photographer and that has always been on my bucket list.  To me, Paris represents a part of myself that throws caution into the wind and goes out and seeks adventure.   Please feel free to leave ideas and comments of what makes you happy and what gets you through the hard days. 

Thanks,

Emily