Step No. 12 - Look busy typing an email on your smartphone, but really be playing a cool game.

Really, life is too short to be stuck with a device that transforms "productivity" (maybe productive bureaucracy?) into an addiction. I am the first to admit that I'll whip out my iPhone to check my email, facebook, and twitter accounts at every opportunity. I'm lucky that I'm not reliant on this device for my work, but those that know all too well the pernicious "crackberry" addiction and phantom buzz when the gizmo is removed for the evening.

Gentle readers, it would behove you, the afflicted, to take time out from boring afternoon meetings to play a round or two of Angry Birds or Tetris. The latter is arguably the more addicting of the two, as I've fond memories of having Tetris dreams after a full day of nonstop Gameboy goodness:

"Get out of my head, damned blocks. Stop falling so quickly. No! Don't turn that way! You'll prevent the long skinny block from saving me from certain doom! Gosh darn, that tune is beautiful, but does it ever end?"

It's unlikely that your colleagues will call you out for not being totally rapt during the Q3 earnings conference call. In fact, he or she will likely take the hint and join you.

Note: This is not applicable if you're the one leading the meeting.