Don’t get me wrong—my BPO job changed my life for the better.
From the day my husband got kicked off his job until now, working in a call center helped me:
- Send my two kids to school
- Pay our bills
- Get a condominium through Pag-IBIG Fund
It’s also where I experienced office and corporate life for the first time. I found some of my best friendships there. I even got to lead a team.
But despite all that… BPO is not the kind of job I want to stay in forever.
I only stayed because of necessity:
- My husband lost his job
- Bills piled up
- My kids needed education
- And yes—to fund my real passions: creating art, designs, and writing
I already think about this for so long but it took me one toxic manager and the book the Millionares Fastlane to finally take the leap.
Let’s be honest—BPO still pays one of the highest entry-level salaries in the Philippines. I don’t want to sound ungrateful. As a Christian, I believe we should honor God in everything we do, including our jobs.
But after almost ten years of real experience, I also owe it to myself to tell the truth.
So here’s why I hate being a Customer Service Representative—without sugarcoating it.
1. Health
The graveyard shift wrecks your body. It destroys your natural circadian rhythm, leading to:
- Sleep disorders
- Cardiovascular disease
- Gastrointestinal issues
- Mental health struggles
- Metabolic problems
2. Safety
Working 11 PM to 7 AM means commuting in the dark. Shift work sleep disorder (SWSD) makes driving dangerous. And for those walking or taking public transpo like me—hold-ups and crime are everyday fears.
3. Toxicity
Power play, retaliation, manipulation, lies, bullying, stress, immorality, and irate customers 99% of the time. Even team leaders and support staff are buried under endless compliance, payroll issues, and call scrubbing.
4. Work-Life Balance
The workload—especially for team leaders—eats up time I should be spending with my family, pursuing my passions, or building side hustles I actually love.
I started this job out of necessity. I stayed because the need never left. But now? I finally realized: I need an exit plan.
That’s why I’m here, writing this blog. I want to document my journey toward leaving BPO for good—once my online income matches or exceeds my current salary.
I’m giving myself up to six years. But with focused effort? I think I can do it in four.
If I Were Just Starting Out, Here’s What I’d Do:
1. Don’t quit your job yet.
Especially if you’re the breadwinner. Your job keeps you and your loved ones alive while you dig your foundation. But don’t let it become your career, your identity, or a distraction.
Every time a promotion was offered to me, my money-chasing personality roared to life. I even felt envy when others got promoted. I had to remind myself: This job is just for survival. My real goal is to become a millionaire with freedom—through a business I control. That promotion is just another trap.
2. Read The Millionaire Fastlane by MJ DeMarco.
Do not skip this step. Read it first. Then analyze your current situation and income sources. Use ChatGPT or DeepSeek to create a 3–6 year blueprint that fits your personality.
I’m an introvert, so my Fastlane business can’t require constant in-person appearances. If you’re an extrovert, coaching might work for you.
3. Spare one to two hours before work improve your skills.
If you choose content creator as your way out, you have to study everything that relates to it — content marketing, blogging, copywriting, email marketing, Pinterest and how to sell digital products online successfully. Use most of your day off to dig your foundation because you need all of these to build your real passive income that will replace your 9-5 or BPO job. This initial stage requires that you learn to say no to gatherings, meetings, and team buildings. You should not waste your time on this very crucial stage. You don’t need to join every event at work because your plan is not to be promoted anymore… your plan is outside, more profitable than that promotion.
4. Keep saving.
Even loose change adds up over time. Don’t worry too much in building your emergency funds because sometimes being unable to reach your target amount becomes your bottleneck. Just save, any amount will do because you are still working and you will not leave your job until your salary is equal to your business income.
5. Focus on one or two Fastlane ventures.
Stop chasing every shiny opportunity. I had to mellow down on my gift-guide blog, YouTube channel, print-on-demand, affiliates, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Juggling multiple streams made me a money-chasing polygamist opportunist. There are so many reasons why these tasks will not pass the Fastlane Commandments. I choose to become a content creator via blog and if I will have to sell, I will focus on digital products. Choose which among these Fastlane Business would you like to spend your free time with: Rental Systems, Computer/Software Systems, Content Systems, Distribution Systems, Human Resource Systems. I’ve chosen content system because that is what I am doing anyway for years. Choose yours.
6. NECST
Double check if your chosen business violates any of the Five Fastlane Commandments (NECST) – Need, Entry, Control, Scale and Time. I will explain this in the coming blog post, but for now, I would like you to analyze your business if it violates any of these commandments. If it does, stop doing it and choose one in number 5 instead.
7. Start Blogging
This is non-negotiable if you would want to leave your toxic BPO life asap and if content creation if your chosen field just like mine. This blog will be filled with that. I will start with my first 60 blog posts about my journey, the lessons I learned and if this path is truly a Fastlane that will bring in more passive income that is equal to or more than my BPO income. I will tell you all that and will be more transparent with you.
What I Will NOT Do:
Leave my current BPO job just to find another BPO job.
That’s a trap. It only eats up time I should be spending creating. I know it’s tempting—and common—but let’s stay away from it. Keep your job temporarily until your plan works.
Also? Find someone or a community to keep you accountable. If you’re serious about becoming a millionaire with freedom, you can’t do it alone.
Come back here every Tuesday and Thursday, I’ll be chronicling my progress—and share posts that can help you on the same journey.
Meanwhile, do you have questions or suggestions that you would me to address via blog post? Write it down in the comments.