10 Best Ways To Deal With Boredom

“The cure for Boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for Curiosity.”

Who hasn’t at some point or the other during a day felt extremely bored and nothing to do in particular? Well if you are one of them (and I’m pretty sure you are) then you really need to read this post. Here are some typical CTF ways to get rid of your boredom:

Try Not To Count Penguins

This is really funny when you try really hard. Because if your mind is trying super hard not to count penguins, that is exactly what you will be doing. A great way to kill about 10 – 15 minutes.

Walk Around Pretending Like A Robot

Walk around your house or office pretending to be a Robot. Make sure you also talk in a robot voice. This can be quite amusing unless others get bugged with you.

Try to Touch your Tongue to your Nose

There is not much to say about this one. It is possible for a few people. Alternately you can also try to touch your tongue to your elbow [Which is not really possible, but it is a good way to kill time]

Watch a Hollywood Movie and Repeat Dialogues in South Indian Accent

Why? Because it’s hilarious !

Go Outside and Burn Things with a Magnifying Glass

Remember that science class where you first learnt that magnifying glass can be used to start a fire? And remember the fun you had trying to burn ants? That could be just as fun as an adult. P.S: Avoid burning your own clothes or hands.

Go Celebrity Spotting

Go to a place that is known for a lot of celebrities hanging out and try to see if you spot anyone in particular. If possible make this a competition among friends and see who wins. P.S: That extra from Om Shanti Om who kept saying “Waah kya Tiger hai” does not count !

Wet your hand; Make a Sneeze Noise, then Throw Water on Back of Another Person’s Neck

Always a good gag. For an even bigger reaction out of the person, act like you’re not sorry at all for what they think you did. Comment instead on how big that sneeze was or about how there was a lot of mucus in that one.

Throw Wet Tissues

Wet tissues and throw them against a glass surface or a wall and watch them stick. It’s quite gross and that’s what makes it fun.

Make a List of Long Term Goals

And then tear it away! Please don’t be boring; exactly the reason behind this suggestion.

Check Out www.bored.com

I’m not lying! There actually is such a website. And it does have quite some hilarious and time-killing games. That should keep you busy for a while.

After all that if you are still bored then you must really be crazy or a borderline schizophrenic! Although if you have some better suggestions on how a person can kill some time then share it with us.

Interesting Things To Take Up While Taking Time Off From Work

In these recession hit times, many of us have been forced to sit at home, hunting for a job.  Despite popular belief, this period between jobs can be quite fun and used to your advantage. Be cool and cut the fuss out of recession and try out some of our unique hobby suggestions. You never know, these hobbies can be the reason you get a job:

Learn a rare language

Learning new languages has become a popular phenomenon in the youth hence it is important to learn a language that is not too common. Chinese and Japanese are fast becoming the most sought after languages (most probably because they are extremely tough to master).  So research on the language that’s best suited for your field and check out the nearest class to get started.

Take the national stock exchange exam

The national stock exchange conducts exams in the understanding of the stock market right from beginner’s level to pro. These exams are essential for people in that field but also a good   additional qualification for the rest. If the word “exam” bothers you, think about it this way; some day if you plan to invest in stocks, you do have some knowledge of how the stock market works. That could very well play in your favor.

Write something

By writing I don’t necessarily mean a novel, but you could always write a blog or articles for internet content agencies. Many web companies pay well to advertise on interesting blogs.

Take up photography

Photography is one of the few pastimes that are a blend of both creativity and science.  If you don’t have a good camera, borrow one from a friend or if possible invest in one for yourself. Learn how to take various kinds of shots and what “f-number” and “shutter speed” mean. Even if you never plan on making a career out of it, at least you will have some great family photographs in the future.

Teach at a volunteering institute

There are many organizations all over the world that require volunteer teachers or mentors to guide underprivileged kids. You don’t need to be a pro at maths to teach 4^th grade kids who have no access to professional teachers. Besides making your resume look good, you will also get the satisfaction of contributing towards a better country.

It’s best if this period of unemployment is looked upon as an opportunity to do something that we never had any time for. So put on your thinking hats and come up with various productive ways in which you can make use of your time. And if you come up with any better ideas post them here for all of us to read.

Weird Hobbies That Can Make You Rich

We at CTF are back to your rescue! [Yes it is a rescue]. We will be rescuing you from the drudgery of boring old careers by suggesting some funny and even weird ways to make some money. How you ask? Recently a kid was featured on the ELLEN show for being the fastest “cup stacker” in the world (cup stacker is the art of stacking cups….obviously). Although it’s a completely pointless hobby, it did get the kid on Ellen!

There are a lot of weird and unique hobbies that have known to (and could be in future) become successful business opportunities. Here are some to ponder upon in case you wish to try it for yourself:

Metal Detecting

Buy a metal detector and snoop around for hidden treasure. You never know when you may hit upon some gold!

UFO watching

Make sure you keep a camera; you could end up making a priceless video.

Robot Building

Pretty useful for engineers – Make robots to solve all of life’s small problems like cooking, cleaning etc. Rest assured your mother will surely thank you.

Paper Clay products

Learn the art of paper clay making and then use it to make cool craft items like diaries, trinket boxes etc. There are tons of people out there who live to buy things like that.

Master Weird Astrological theories

This can be useful for the obvious reasons. With people becoming obsessed with all kinds of astrology and numerology, this knowledge can totally be use to con all the fools out there. P.S: If you fall for it, you probably deserved it.

Writing really tiny script

You could write the world smallest magazine or book and get paid for it. Yes, there are tons of weirdos out there who would pay for such things.

There are tons of strange and insane hobbies that are hilarious although they are completely unproductive like bone collecting, smashing computers, and throwing pianos down the stairs among many others. If you have any strange and weird hobbies then share them with us, you never know who might find your hobby “business worthy” and you could make some moolah out of your madness.

What Not To Write In A Resume

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There is a popular saying that “First Impression is a Lasting One”. In the same way your CV is your marketing brochure through which you try to sell your skills to the prospective employer. The sole purpose of your CV is to fetch you an interview call. So the question arises how do you want yourself to be remembered? Do you want to be remembered as boring, unorganized, like any other person?

Companies do not have much time to go through your entire CV. And so it has to be neat, structured, precise & interesting. Resumes tell lot of things about you – where you have been, where you are from and where you are headed. Hence, it is vital that the above things should be told quickly and clearly. So here we are to help you cut the fuss from writing a perfect resume by highlighting what not to include in a CV.

Jargon:

Do not use jargon or colloquial language. The English should be flawless and simple and without bombastic words and technical terms.

Paragraph:

Do not use narrative style; as much as possible use bullet point that are easily browse able so you could convey more with less verbosity.

Reason for Leaving:

Do not mention ‘reason for leaving’ your previous job, as this does not have a direct bearing on the job you are applying. However, be prepared for this question during the interview.

Achievements:

Do not ‘inflate’ your achievements and/or qualifications or skills. Remember, most of the recruiters would run a background check up before finalizing an offer; you do not want to be embarrassed later on – and loose a good offer.P.S. Avoid putting it if the only sports award you have that you won the society badminton competition.

Too Much Information:

Avoid putting too much information regarding your previous job roles. Let the interviewer ask you the details during the interview.

Action Words:

When you use action words or when you mention your strengths/ weaknesses like good team player, target-oriented, effective communicator, etc. have instances from your professional, school/ college life to back it up.

Funky Email Address:

Make sure your email address is businesslike. For instance, coolguy@gmail.com conveys the wrong impression.

Salary:

Do not mention your salary in your CV. The employer might be tempted to under-quote your offer or if your past salary would have been too high, then you might be disqualified from the interview on this ground. It’s best to deal with this directly at the interview.

Irrelevant Work Experience:

Do not include irrelevant work experience. No one has the time to go through your entire CV so it is best to mention internships and work experience related to the position that you are applying for.

Personal Information:

Cut out non essential personal information e.g. height, weight, state of health, children/ their names/ages, religious or political beliefs.

References:

Do not mention the names and contact details of the references unless you have been asked to. As this information is relevant only after the offer is made.

Photographs:

Do not include your photographs unless it is asked by the employers.

Humor:

Don’t put yourself down, try irony or humor. It rarely reads the way you want it to.

10 Reasons You Should Take A Holiday, Tomorrow!

Caught in the frenetic pace of today’s whirlwind lifestyle, we often end up getting from the beginning to the end of the day, without actually savouring each moment. At every point of time, we’re already plotting, planning, conspiring our next move. We try and keep abreast, no, in fact, stay ahead of time. Stress suffuses our lives, squeezing out all joy. Time binds us in enslaving chains. Nerves bulge. Foreheads throb. Fear descends. Panic engulfs. STOP!! YOU NEED TO TAKE A BREAK!! And if you can’t find a reason, here are 10 as Monday is as it is bad, but we won’t let Tuesday go the same way:

Reason 1:

Find bliss in bed –kill the clock.

Sleep in late, conk the alarm. See what the afternoon the afternoon looks like from the vantage of your bed. Try a new perspective; chuck your worries for a day.

Reason 2:

It’s too dull/ cold/ hot/ wet/ pleasant outside for you to work today.

Let the mood reflect the weather. Verse it in poetry, paint it in a picture, capture it in prose. Let the creative juices flow. Forget work woes.

Reason 3:

Disconnect.

Disengage from the daily and mundane. Turn off the cell phone, switch off the comp, keep aside the blackberry. Disconnect with the outside in order to reconnect with your inner side.

Reason 4:

Recharge.

Shake off the dust of drudgery and sameness. Break the monotony. Go to the beach or loaf around in a mall. Spend some ‘me’ time or simply catch up with friends.

Reason 5:

Take off.

Take a bus or train to a random destination. Get down anywhere and roam, explore, discover. Have an adventure. Find stories to tell.

Reason 6:

Smell the flowers.

Already on your way to office? Stop to smell the flowers; walk through a park; soak in the warm sunlight; listen to the children scream in glee; watch the sky; feed the birds; pet a stray; help an old lady; feel one with the universe, the cosmos; ponder the meaning of life and such. And before you know it, you’d have got through the day without having made it to the office.

Reason 7:

Spend time with your partner.

Spend quality time with your significant other or a boyfriend or girlfriend. Catch up on stuff. Hang out without the baggage of “plans on weekends”. It’s not what we do in life –it’s who we do it with.

Reason 8:

Finish off on all backlogs.

That mail you’ve been meaning to write; the bill you’ve got to pay; the call you promised to make; the chore you volunteered to do. Well, what are you waiting for? You’ve taken the day off, so get down to business!

Reason 9:

Spring clean.

…Even if it isn’t spring. Take out old clothes and give them away. Clear your cupboards. Clean the musty corners. Tend to your garden. Office will take care of itself for one day.

Reason 10:

None.

You don’t always need a reason to be nice. You don’t always need a reason to cry. You don’t always need a reason to love. So why wait for a reason to take a holiday?!! Take the day off and freak out!

Top 14 April Fool Pranks

Hey guys April is back and it is time to plan some serious pranks on your friends. Even if you are yawning at this idea right now, I’m sure there is nothing more interesting to do in this sweltering heat. So here are a few awesome and cool tips for the April fool’s day.

Ripped:

Let us get the obvious one out first. This one is straight out of the books. Find a piece of cloth.  Place at least a 50 Rupees note on the floor and stay nearby (This is bribe enough even for the most honest).  When the victim comes by and bends down to pick up the note, rip the cloth loudly.  Most people will reach back to see if they ripped their pants.

Going away:

This one’s a little more conventional. Inform your friends (victims) that you are leaving town for good and throw a party to meet them for the last time. Your friends would come with going away gifts and they would be greeted with a note reminding them of April fool’s day.

Birthday Bumps!

A close friend of mine shares her birthday with the dreaded April fool’s day. So she is always the victim of a prank. Last year her brother convinced her to play a prank on her friends who were supposed to arrive at her place to celebrate her birthday. Minutes before they were scheduled to arrive, the two of them left for a drive with the assumption that all her friends would frantically call her to find out where she was. Instead, her brother took her to a restaurant where all her friends were waiting for her to celebrate the birthday! You could try this on any one’s birthday. If not a prank, this could be pleasant surprise for the Birthday boy/girl.

Someone Called:

Ok now for some more serious fun. If you are working with the person you want to play a prank on; then do the following.  Inform the victim (when he or she was out on a lunch/coffee break) that someone important called. Leave the number of the local zoo or worse a local mental hospital. Wait to see the reaction of your victim.

Minty delight:

Take out the cream middle in cream cookies or biscuits and put toothpaste in them then when you get to college give them to your friends are tell them they are mint cookies. Statutory Warning: The reactions could be overwhelming!

Secret Admirer:

Here’s a tricky one. Send flowers and fake love notes pretending to be secret admirer to the victim’s desk at work and then burst their bubble at the end of the day. Be careful to choose your victim or else you could well become the victim in this prank!!!

Prem Chopra:

This could be the best trick to harass someone. Coordinate several people to help you play this prank. Have them take turns throughout the day calling the victim and asking for “Prem Chopra” from different PCO phone booths. At the end of the day, have someone make the final call and say “This is Prem Chopra. Do you have any messages for me?” Make sure Prem Chopra does inform the victim that his mobile number is similar to the victim and he has been getting calls asking for the victim. That could take the prank even further.

Timeless fun:

If you wish to play a prank on your room mate, there here’s one for you. Set the victim’s alarm clock for the middle of the night and hide it somewhere in the room where they will have to get up and scramble around to turn it off. (This works even better if you sneak in after they go to sleep and unscrew the light bulb in their lamp. Then they’ll have to search for the clock in the dark!

Class Test:

This one is real old and classic. Get a friend to confirm that there is a class test today. Inform the victim (who should be a nervous wreck) just before you enter the class. He/she would definitely get a panic attack before the realization of the prank dawns upon them.

Aim troubles:

Ok this one is brutal and you would need loads of courage to do this. Add some yellow food coloring to water, and sprinkle it liberally all over the toilet seat and on the floor around the toilet. The victim will think someone has terrible aim!

License to kill:

This is a totally cool prank. Find a small picture of a monkey (or anything else you think is funny) and use temporary glue (a glue stick works well) to place it over the photo on the victim’s driver’s license. Then provoke the victim to drive fast or do anything else to be on the radar of traffic police. The cops will have hysterical time looking at the driving license of the victim. I think we owe it to those poor traffic police working hard!

Wordy troubles:

If the victim uses Microsoft Word, go into the victim’s computer and change the auto-correct feature so it misspells common words. Just open Word, choose “AutoCorrect Options” from the Tools menu, and have it replace common words like “the” and “and” with wacky words like “eggplant” or “Uranus.” Be creative.

Mouse Click:

Go to Start->Settings->Control Panel and find the option for your Mouse. On the Buttons tab, change the buttons configuration to switch the primary and secondary buttons of the mouse. Now when the victim clicks with the mouse, nothing will work as expected.

Incapable Desktop:

First, take a screen shot of the victim’s desktop (press the “Print Screen” button). Then open up a Paint program and press “Paste.” Save the image in bitmap format and quit Paint. Set this image to be the Desktop background image (right-click on the desktop, choose Properties, click the “Display” tab, press the “Browse” button, find your image, hit “Open,” then “OK”). Finally, hide all the desktop icons (right-click on the desktop, choose “Arrange Icons By,” then unclick “Show Desktop Items.” Now their desktop will look normal, but when they try to click on the icons nothing will happen!

Catch The IPL Live Even While At Work

IPL is back in its home country and all of us can’t help but be overjoyed by that fact. But don’t rejoice yet; the matches are on work days and weekends tickets beyond reach. While this may sound like a dismal fate, there are still ways in which we can catch our favorite game:

Stay tuned to the radio

If you are stuck at work and your favorite team is playing then the best way to catch the game is to tune in to the radio for regular updates of the game. Although this isn’t as fun as watching, it comes a pretty close second. Hook in headphones into your cell or laptop and tune in to your favorite radio station to keep yourself updated. P.S: Try to conceal your headphones through your shirt or you are at a risk of getting caught by your boss.

Get a TV tuner card

The best way to watch a match in office, if you don’t have access to a television, is to get a TV tuner card and set the channel on your PC/laptop permanently to Set Max. Make sure you keep a few other WebPages  open,  just in case you feel your boss lurking around so you can quickly divert to some important looking page or document. P.S. Make sure your boss gets a cable connection otherwise proceed ahead for other suggestions.

Take a sick day

If you are one of the lucky few who can afford passes or has somehow managed to secure a free pass, then conveniently fall sick on the same day. And if your boss happens to be one of those sly disbelieving ones then go and get yourself a medical certificate which says you had something contagious and pitiful. I’m sure he won’t object to you taking a leave. P.S: My excuse would be “early symptoms of Swine Flu”. I’m sure he would ask me to stay away from the office for a couple of days at least.

“YOUTUBE “it.

Various websites like YOUTUBE and CRICINFO have live streaming of matches (albeit at a 5 min delay) which you can easily watch if you have an internet connection. Check out IPL’s own YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/IPL . The channel also gives a countdown to the next available game so you can be sure to wrap up your work before it starts.  It’s best to subscribe to this channel to get updates on various games if you happen to miss any. If your company has been mean enough to block these sites then you will need to refer to my previous point.

Switch Career

The best method however according to me is to work for a media company, because we always have a TV in our office. After all we are the “media”. We can always watch the game and claim it as “research”.

IPL has gained celebrity status in India thanks to the various star owners of the teams. Try using some of our suggested methods to catch your favorite team in action. If all else fails and you happen to be cricket-obsessed, then just quit your job and take a 2 month sabbatical and stay tuned to the TV 24/7. Anyways thanks to Mr.Hari Sadu, Jobs are back. You will find something else.

10 Ways To Deal With Work Stress

In today’s fast paced lifestyle, with all of us running a constant rat race, stress is a common factor that most people face. According to a survey, 80% of stress related problems are generated at the work place. Ambition is a great quality to possess, but if stress gets you down, it is difficult to reach your goal. It is important for professionals to take measures to combat and reduce this stress. Some of our suggestions to cope with work related stress are:

Listening to Instrumental music after waking up

Every morning, make a point to listen to soothing instrumental music. Studies have shown that Instrumental jazz has calming properties and help you improve your nerves and keep a cool head.

Use Yellow post-it notes to keep track of schedule

Yellow as a colour has cheerful properties and is known to uplift mood. So instead of saving your schedule only on your Blackberry, make use of the old-fashioned approach of Yellow Post-it notes. Make your desk a happy place.

Decorate your desk

Decorate your desk with your favorite pictures or knick-knacks. Every time you feel in a low or stressed out mood, take a look at these pictures or items. This will help you for the obvious reasons.

Make sure you enjoy the actual field

While this point is very obvious, most people often end up stuck in jobs that do not interest them, but are stuck doing it either for the money or some other obligations. In such a situation, as impossible as it may seem, the best thing to do is quit. Quitting may seem like the worst possible option at the time, but you will be thankful later.

Do not let yourself be bullied

Often one of the biggest triggers of stress is being bullied by seniors or even co-workers, especially if it’s your first job. As soon as you enter a new job, make your stand as a professional and confident person. I personally have experienced work-place bullying and I can safely say that it makes for the worst work life ever.

Apply scented lotion under your nose

Scented lotion clears your mind and distracts your mind of the main problem at hand. Studies show that if your mind is on a certain scent you tend to give most of your concentration to it. [P.s: I know most guys will think this is too effeminate; but there are “manly” lotions available. Use those]

Make Vacation / Outing plans

Vacation plans can easily uplift mood and is a great tool to take your mind off the stress inducing factor. Who hasn’t spent counting down days towards a holiday or a party? Even if Vacation wasn’t on the cards, make a weekend plan with your partner or family. Steal 10 – 15 minutes every few hours to work on your plan.

Spin around in your chair

Why you ask? Because it’s just fun! And that serves the entire purpose of stress relief. However, you might be thought of as crazy, but who cares as long as you feel better?

SMS your loved one

If you have someone in your life who you love, just SMS a simple “I Love you”. The reply will certainly make you smile and feel 10 times better than you felt before.

Get a pet

Animals have a natural distressing property that at times even humans can’t provide. So if feasible get yourself a pet who you can curl up with after a long and crappy day at work.

Living and working in any metropolitan city, with a fast paced life and uncertain hours; stress is a part and parcel or your job description. The best way to reduce stress is to accept and be prepared for it. While our suggestions can help a great deal, it is also important that you find methods that best suit you. If gardening is your poison, then set up a small garden in your balcony. To love what you do, distresses you the most.

Ways To Deal With A Nagging Boss

At some point or the other in our life we have all hated our boss. As the general description of a boss is “nagging insufferable prick”. Often it is this general dislike of authority figure that gets you the most friends in your work space.  However dealing with such a boss is a major task for most, so here are some fun ways in which you can tackle that “jerk” you work for:

• Honey Method:

What is known as the “honey method” (for propriety sakes) is actually known as sucking-up in layman’s terms. This is the easiest way to deal with a bad boss. You are bound to get some favours from him / her for your constant puppy dog behaviour. However this method ensures that you will certainly not befriend any colleagues.

• Be the best at your job:

Be really good at what you do, or in one word “indispensable’. Therefore no matter how much your boss nags you, at the end of the day you are really important to him.

• iPod Rocks!

A genius once said (don’t know who exactly) that “ignorance is bliss”. So hide your iPod headphones through your shirt and calmly go on listening to music while your boss is yapping on about last month’s sales. Just don’t do it all the time or you will surely get caught.

• Work with someone of the opposite sex:

It helps if your boss is of the opposite sex because then you can use the most powerful tool at your disposal flirting. A few good attempts at flirting can surely soften up your boss! However try to avoid this if your boss is of the same sex: unless he / she swings that way of course.

• Be your own boss:

The best way to get rid of this problem forever is to be your own boss. Start your own business of freelance and enjoy the perks of being self-monitored.

• Use office picnic to your advantage:

Most companies take their employees for a picnic as a method of distressing. Use this picnic to your advantage and throw your boss off the cliff. Problem sorted once and for all. This is, however, a criminal offence; but all for the greater good.

• Don’t shower:

Obviously if you don’t shower for days, your boss will be insanely skeptical about breathing in your presence, let alone nag you.

While all this may sound like an easy route, it’s important to realize that having a bad boss is a part and parcel of every individuals work life, especially if it’s your first job. So fess up and learn to live with it. Over time you either become friends with your boss or you get used to the madness.

The Fuss With Mondays and How to Cut Them

And another Mundane Monday is in progress, at least this is being written and we sure hate them. I sometimes wonder why Monday chose to come next to Sunday when God was deciding the days of the week. Maybe it never had a choice, or maybe the other day’s sort of ganged up on him. Whatever be the reason, Monday’s just don’t add up to anyone’s favourite lists.

Monday’s Need Not be So Bad

However bad that Mondays be it is nothing but a day and can be quickly adjusted to seem more like a weekend than any other. Remember that time is relative like the mad boy Bob once quoted another ..some Mr. Einstein. And since days are just an extension of time, even they are relative.

How do you do it though?

Follow these illustrious steps to make your Monday a better Sunday:

Call for an pep up meeting:

If you work somewhere Monday is the best day to call for a motivational meeting. If you’re the boss at your hood then this is a piece fo cake, simply download 10 motivational quotes from the Internet and put them up on a presentation deck. And then motivate your staff to reach targets they never really bother to achieve. If you don’t call the shots then this is the best bet to show initiative. Your boss might even just give you a week off for coming with this idea!

Push Your Watch by 20 Minutes:

If you don’t have a watch then buying one is sincerely suggested for this step. Why? Well because you can’t really push the needle ahead if you don’t have one. Anyway, more than the watch it is about pushing the needle, so push it by 20 or better still 22 minutes. Among other things it will remind you, albeit falsely that time is actually moving on a day as drag as today. It will have a profound effect on the number of things you will skip during the day, making it somewhat productive and oddly entertaining. For best results, increase the time on your colleagues watches as well and push off early from work.

Change the calender

Presume that you just skipped a Monday and act as if it is a Tuesday. There is no better way to deal with a Monday than treat it as if it doesn’t exist. You clearly can’t lose a race you don’t run in, can you? The flipside of this is that every Tuesday that follows might begin to seem more of a drag than a Monday because it comes twice. However, you can be sure never to face Monday morning blues again, that thought itself has brightened the day by a notch.

The Best Way to Deal With a Monday:

1. Sit in a straight, comfortable chair in a well lit place in front of your computer.

2. Log onto MSN and ICQ (be sure to go on away!). Check your email.

3. Ping your best friend and then bitch about Monday till Lunch. Then take Lunch and then get back to emails. Time will run so fast that Mr. Bolt will be put to shame!

And thus we cut the fuss with Mondays.