As an agent myself, I get asked a lot about my work schedule. They wonder how I manage to stay alert and awake during my night shift, and not confuse customers with random syllables out of grogginess. Well, I make sure of several things.
First, I make sure I get plenty of rest. This is a challenge in and of itself, especially for night shifters. In Philippine call centers, it’s quite noisy and stressful at night. So when I go home, I suddenly find myself having a hard time sleeping primarily because of the eerie silence at home. Secondly, because of the daylight that peeps through small holes on my closed windows. I close my curtains but then something else bothers my un-sleepy brain. My perception of day.
Many call center agents are bothered by this. They can’t seem to shift their biological clock. It frustrates them to no end that they can’t get rid of the natural inclination to sleep during the night.
Personally, I think this could be avoided by eating decent meals. If sleep couldn’t be counted on, then let food take its place. Although, be prepared if you can’t control your food cravings. It’s better to eat fruits and high protein stuff to keep the mind awake but not crash like in a sugar high.
Sometimes, I listen to my iPod to keep me awake, or sane for that matter. Having to talk to random people in the middle of the night would really be a headache so listening to quiet, soothing music during breaks and before work, makes it a lot easier to work under pressure when crunchtime is on. Sometimes talking is a good diversion from falling asleep. I talk to my co-workers during free time just to loosen up my pace.
With all that said, I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of people are still having problems with falling asleep on the job. I believe there is no trick like really focusing on the job without thinking too much of the pressure on one’s shoulder. Really, trying to stay awake is easier said than done.
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