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If you’re like many busy people, your desk is full of mail, papers that hold forgotten to-do lists, and perhaps a stray coffee cup or two. This sort of environment just isn’t conducive to productivity. Follow these tips to streamline your work area and get things done.

• Keep it tidy

  First things first. A tidy desk makes it easier for you to stay focused. Otherwise, you’ll feel overwhelmed by the weight of stuff around you. Organize your papers, corral post-it notes into a journal, and get rid of any random junk. You’ll feel refreshed and can clear the path towards better work.

• Clean up your computer desktop, too

  A clean virtual desktop is just as important as a the one you’re sitting at. Instead of using lots of specialized tools, find a few super tools that can do multiple jobs and stick with them. Clean out the junk by uninstalling programs you don’t use anymore and archiving old files.

• File

  Have you ever found yourself scrambling to find a piece of paper you just know you have, but can’t seem to place? Make it easy for you to find what you need by putting everything in a specific spot. You’ll save yourself time and frustration, plus it will be easier to stay on track if you don’t have to stop everything to conduct an extensive search.

• Keep the essentials close at hand

  Your desk should be stocked with nearly everything you need to do your job. Whether it’s a file cabinet, printer, or pencil sharpener, make sure it’s within reach. If you have to get up and cross the room to use something, you’re likely to get distracted and off track.

• Don’t goof off

  Make your desk a sacred space for work, and you’ll train your brain. Avoid using your desk for personal projects, storage, or other distracting items, or your attention may be swayed. If you keep your desk purely a work zone, it will be easier for you to get into work mode when you sit down.

• Have good lighting

  Lighting is essential to productivity. It reduces your eye strain and prevents gloominess. To create productive lighting, focus on using natural light and reflection. Get rid of shadows and glare, and be sure to keep up proper maintenance.

• Practice desk yoga

  Yoga isn’t just good for health and spirituality, it’s helpful for creativity and concentration as well. Take a moment to be active and mindful, and you’ll refresh your brain. Try out a program like Yoga @ Your Desk to learn about yoga you can do without even leaving your chair.

• Get a smaller desk

  To get productive, get simple. Using a smaller desk means you’ll have less opportunity to let clutter take over. There’s less room for papers and assignments to pile up, so you’ll be forced to deal with items as they come. This can provide you with an incentive to work more efficiently.

• Decorate with stimulating colors and design

  Some colors are just more productive than others. White rooms create an environment that supports errors, while bright colors like red are stimulating. If you’re overwhelmed by stimulating colors, blue-green walls are universally productive and relaxing.

• Practice good ergonomics

  The comfort and efficiency of your body can directly influence productivity. Getting out of an awkward posture simply makes it easier to do any given task and concentrate on your work. It’s also been found to reduce errors.

• Leave your desk

  That’s right, take a break. The most productive desk is one that you’re not chained to all day. Get up, move around, have a snack or a quick chat with a friend, and you’ll be more refreshed and ready to work again.

Deadlines are looming, your clients aren’t happy, and there’s a nasty cold going around the office. It seems like everyone around you is in a completely miserable mood, and they have no problem taking it out on everyone else. You don’t have to let the ill temper of your office mates affect you and how you’re feeling, however. After all, going to work in a sour mood and concentrating on the stressful elements of your job can have an adverse affect on your health. So how can you keep the general unhappiness of your work environment from affecting you? Here are 25 things you can try to improve your mood and maybe even the mood of those around you.

1. Choose to be happy. It might sound overly simplistic, but the easiest way to rise above the cloud of negativity at work is simply to not let it affect you. Other people may have an impact on your mood, but the only one in charge of it is you, so choose to ignore the crankiness and find your own personal happiness.
2. Make friends. People are generally happier at work when they have a few coworkers that they can count on as genuine friends. Get together for lunch or take a quick coffee break. You’ll be surprised how much talking to a friend can help elevate your mood and make your outlook more positive.
3. Do things you love. If there are particular elements of your job that you love doing more than others, focus on these for at least a good portion of your day. Or, if you need to, use your lunch break to get away from the office for a massage, shop for a new pair of shoes, or spend it playing games at your desk so that the negativity of work won’t totally weigh you down.
4. Avoid particularly negative coworkers. Everyone has that one coworker that always seems to be in a bad mood, even when things are good. Whether the people around you are perpetually negative or are just having a bad week, try to avoid interactions with them that could make everyone more unhappy.
5. Meditate. Sometimes the key to being happier is to simply just spend more time relaxing. Meditation can be a great way to focus your thoughts and shake off all the unhappiness of the grumpy people around you.
6. Take a walk. Few things can help lift your mood like a little bit of exercise. Whether you walk around the building or around the block, getting up and moving around can help you clear your head and improve how your body feels.
7. Clean and organize your desk. A messy desk can sometimes make you feel overwhelmed and overburdened, even when you’re not. Set aside a few minutes to clean up your work area in the morning or before you leave at night. You’ll get to feel a sense of accomplishment that you got it done and get to enjoy having a desk that isn’t swimming with papers.
8. Listen to music. One way to avoid cranky coworkers is to tune them out with music. Put on your headphones and crank up your favorite tunes. You’ll likely get more done, and you won’t have to listen to the grumpy chatter around you.
9. Personalize your desktop. Working in the same boring gray cube day after day can take its toll. While you don’t have to go overboard, a few personal touches on your desk like photos of friends, family, or pets can make a big difference in your mental outlook plus you’ll have something to motivate you to get through the day.
10. Eat better. Studies have shown that foods can have a huge impact on not only our physical well-being but our moods as well. Try incorporating foods like milk, chocolate, whole grains, blueberries and fish in your diet, as they have been shown to have a marked effect on anxiety and stress levels.
11. Smile. Even if your smiles are only met with frowns, smiling can actually have an impact on your mood. If you think about it, it’s really hard to stay angry or upset when you’ve got a smile on your face, so even if you’re faking, it can help improve your day.
12. Concentrate on working towards a goal. Even if you’re bogged down with loads of work you can still maintain your happy mood by just concentrating on one thing at a time. Set a goal for yourself, say finishing a certain amount of work each day, and concentrate on working towards it.
13. Make someone’s day. Sometimes the best path to making you feel good is by making those around you feel good. Give a coworker a compliment or bring someone a coffee as a treat. Your kindness could be infectious and improve the mood of the whole office.
14. Count your blessings. Even if work is a complete nightmare at the moment, it’s unlikely that there isn’t anything in your life that makes you happy or that you enjoy. Try concentrating on these things instead of the negative things at work.
15. Find the humor in it. A good laugh can do wonders for your mood. Even the worst situations have a lighter side, so try to find it even if your coworkers can’t.
16. Use aromatherapy. Aromatherapy is an age old practice based on the idea that smells can impact your mood. Whether it’s true for you or not it doesn’t hurt to try. Try bringing in potpourri, air fresheners or even some fresh flowers. Any smell that reminds you of home or happy things will work.
17. Treat yourself. Whether your secret indulgence is a chocolate donut or an extra large order from your local Chinese restaurant, letting yourself indulge a little bit will make work seem less awful and put you in a better mood overall.
18. Change your lighting. While not everyone has the luxury of an office with a window, if you do, arrange your office so that you can see out or pull the blinds up to let natural light in. If you don’t have a window, try bringing in a softer and more personalized light to offset the glare of the fluorescent lights in your office. Either will help your work area to seem less harsh and much more pleasant to be in.
19. Shake it off. If people around you truly are miserable, chances are good that at some point they’re going to take it out on you. Learn to simply shake it off and not take things too personally, otherwise your coworkers will quickly bring you down to their level of unhappiness.
20. Help out coworkers. If it’s possible that your coworkers are unhappy because they are overworked and you happen to have a little extra time on your hands, offer to help out. You’ll foster a sense of teamwork and hopefully make others feel less stressed and upset.
21. Try to relate. While you shouldn’t let others’ bad moods affect your own, that doesn’t mean you can’t try to empathize with why your coworkers are so cranky in the first place. Try talking to them. Sometimes all people need to feel better is to get what’s bothering them off their chest.
22. Look your best. Want to improve how you feel about yourself when you go to work? Try spending some extra time getting ready. Wear your favorite clothes or spend a little more time styling your hair. Whatever makes you feel like you look good will undoubtedly improve your outlook on the day.
23. Get plenty of rest. It’s pretty easy to be cranky and short tempered when you haven’t gotten a good night’s sleep, so make sure to set aside a solid block of time where you can sleep uninterrupted and wake up feeling rested.
24. Take your vitamins. Studies have shown that vitamin D can help boost your mood. Vitamin D boosts your brain’s level of serotonin, your body’s natural feel-good hormone, thereby improving your mental and emotional outlook.
25. Get out of the office. If nothing else works to boost your mood around your angry and unhappy coworkers, then just try to spend as little time as possible at the office. Leave on your lunch break and try to be more efficient with your work so that you can leave on time at night. If neither of those are possible, sometimes a quick walk outside can be just as helpful.

There is nothing that can ease social awkwardness, boost confidence and settle nerves like a good cocktail. With thousands of options, it can be hard to know what to choose, especially when your choice will be judged by those around you. As unfair as it may be, no one wants to be the one ordering the wussy drink when you’re at a business lunch that requires playing hardball. Here are a few cocktails we’ve come up with for just about every imaginable situation.

Romance

1. First Date: Love Bite- This drink is aptly named for those who are hoping to get that "love bite" on your first date. Whether it’s meant to be or not, this cherries and cream drink certainty can’t hurt.
2. Anniversary: Heavenly- This fruity drink can help you celebrate your years together whether you’re at the paper anniversary or golden one, with a mix of pineapple, and white wine to take you back to your honeymoon days.
3. Honeymoon: Sex on the Beach- Whether you’ve just moved out of your parents homes or been living together for years, the honeymoon is the time when you finally get to be alone and make romance happen. Why not toast to it with an aptly named tropical drink?
4. Valentine’s Day: Strawberry Kiss- Chances are good that if it’s Valentine’s Day you have a kiss on the mind, so start things off right with this creamy and delicious cocktail. Almost more like a dessert than a drink, it will leave your Valentine kissably sweet.
5. Proposal: Bellini- You could celebrate your love with plain Jane champagne or you could spice it up a little with some Bellinis. This champagne cocktail adds a dash of Peach Schnapps to the mix to make toasting to your happily ever after even sweeter.
6. Morning After: Mimosa- Ever the traditional brunch staple, it can also be a good way to treat your sweetie after she or he has shacked up at your place. If you’re feeling really thoughtful, you can accompany it with some waffles.
7. Romantic Night In: Orgasm- If you’ve decided to spend the night in cuddling with your sweetheart instead of out on the town, then try out this delicious cocktail. While it may not exactly deliver on its name, it will certainly satisfy your desire for a good, but sweet cocktail.
8. Break Up: World’s Strongest Cocktail: There’s nothing like a good binge to wipe the memory of your beloved right on out of your mind and this eight shot drink has enough booze in it to knock out a donkey. It should suffice to erase your puny human memory– at least for the night.

Events

9. Birthday: Birthday Cake- What this drink has to do with birthdays or cakes we’re not sure, but regardless it sounds delicious and the name alone is enough of an excuse to order up a round for the birthday boy or girl.
10. Wedding: Kir Royale- This drink sounds just as classy as it is and it’s a perfect addition to the traditional champagne you’ll have for toasting. Originating in France, this drink mixes black currant liqueur with the zesty bubbles of champagne for a formal and delicious drink.
11. Bachelor/Bachelorette Party: Mind Eraser- After the kind of debauchery that will likely ensue at your party you may want a few of these to do just what the name suggests. Who are you kidding, you probably won’t need any help. But you can still enjoy this delicious drink, meant to kill your brain cells even faster by being drunk through a straw.
12. New Job: Ruby Celebration- Why not toast to your success with a little champagne and a little something else to boost? This drink mixes the classic celebratory champagne with a twist of vodka and cranberry.
13. Graduation: The Graduate- By graduation, we of course mean college graduation, and you can reward the intrepid graduate, or yourself, as the case may be, with this fruity and sweet concoction.
14. Wake: Funeral for a Friend- Everyone knows that funerals can be rough to get through, either because you knew the departed well or because your family irritates you to no end. Either way, you can toast to the deceased with this minty but deceptively strong drink.
15. Retirement: Piña Colada- This Caribbean drink is the perfect send off to those soon headed to the warmer climes of Florida to retire.
16. Bridal Shower: Daiquiri- A bridal shower is the perfect place to serve a fruity sweet drink like a daiquiri. Because there are so many flavor options, the most popular being strawberry, however, you can mix it up and have a little bit of something to please everyone.
17. Housewarming: Bronx- One of the few cocktails invented before the advent of prohibition, the Bronx is a delicious orange twist on the perfect martini. It’s a great and classy choice for toasting to your new digs, and less likely than many other cocktails to stain your new carpet.

Weekend

18. Bowling: White Russian- Let’s be honest, this drink itself has absolutely nothing to do with bowling, yet you can’t possibly drink one without thinking about "the Dude" and his love of both the White Russian and bowling. Have one mixed up for you the next time you hit the lanes.
19. Golfing: Golf Cocktail- This simple variation on the martini can be a great way to wrap up 18 holes in style. Just make sure you aren’t driving the cart after having a few of these.
20. Gambling: Singapore Sling- Served for free on Singapore Airlines, this drink can also be a delicious addition to a night of gambling at the casino. A favorite of quirky journalist and novelist Hunter S. Thompson, hopefully your consumption of them won’t leave you as muddled in Vegas as the characters in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
21. Poolside: East India Cocktail- This prohibition era drink is a perfect addition to your next pool party. Light and fruity with loads of pineapple, it certainly won’t leave you thirsty while you’re showing off that new swimsuit.
22. BBQ: Mojito- A favorite of both cantankerous writer and Cuban emigre Ernest Hemingway and James Bond, the mojito is a great drink for summer BBQs. The refreshing combination of mint and lime will help quench your thirst after all those hot dogs.
23. Ice Skating: Irish Coffee- Brought to the US in the 1950s, this drink has enjoyed several different incarnations that vary the ingredients slightly. No matter how you choose to make it, it’s a great way to warm up after a twirl around a frozen pond or your local ice rink.
24. Girls’ Night Out: Cosmopolitan- Boosted in popularity by the women of Sex in the City, this drink is the perfect choice for a girls’ night out. Not to mention it’s delicious and you’ll look sexy drinking it.
25. Watching the Game: Touchdown- While beer is usually the drink of choice for sports aficionados, for those looking for something a little fancier, this aptly named cocktail can be a delicious alternative of bourbon, lemonade and iced tea.
26. Summer Evening: Mai Tai- This fruity drink is perfect for warm summer evenings, though it contains a long list of ingredients. With a name coming from the Tahitian for "the best" you can’t really go wrong.
27. Garden Party: Pimms Cocktail- The Pimms Cocktail is the ultimate garden party drink, whether you’re playing croquet or just lazing about on the veranda. It’s designed to be give you a bit of a buzz but "weak enough to be drunk all afternoon"
28. Beach: Kiwi Whiskey Sour- Give this classic drink a summery twist by adding a hint of kiwi, making it a perfect choice for sipping while sitting under your umbrella or soaking up some rays.
29. Watching the Races: Mint Julep- This drink is a southern classic and one that no horse race could do without, especially not the biggest one, the Kentucky Derby. So whether your favored horse wins or loses, you’ll still get to enjoy this delicious and refreshing drink.
30. Hitting the Slopes: Dreamy Winter Delight- Why settle for regular hot chocolate when you can have this hot cocktail instead to warm you up after you’ve come in from the snowy slopes? The additions of Irish cream and Amaretto liqueur keep this drink a sweet treat for those post slope cuddles by the fire.

Business

31. Work Party: Black Russian- This cocktail owes its name to the Cold War, but it won’t leave you cold when you drink it. This mix of vodka and coffee liqueur is a great after dinner treat for mingling with coworkers.
32. Business Lunch: Dirty Martini- The three martini lunch used to be compulsory for those in the business world back in the day. While it’s doubtful that you could get away with that today, having one won’t hurt, and the olive juice might even be good for you.
33. Happy Hour: Manhattan- The Manhattan is an old-school classy drink, originally created in 1874 at the Manhattan Club in New York. After its invention, it became the most popular pre-dinner drink in the United States, after the martini of course, so have a few as appetizers the next time you’re out with coworkers.
34. Sealing the Deal: Bourbon Highball- This drink is essentially bourbon straight up, which is perfect for celebrating making a big deal. Plus it looks super cool and confident to drink.
35. Networking: Whiskey Sour- Part of the larger class of sour drinks, the whiskey sour is sweet enough to let you have a few to loosen up but sour enough so you won’t end up three sheets to the wind.
36. Meeting with Clients: Gin and Tonic- This drink sounds simple, but is incredibly easy to screw up, just like meeting with clients.
37. Schmoozing the Boss: Old Fashioned- Inspired by Colonel Pepper of Kentucky, this drink is a great complex blend of the kick of bourbon with the fruitiness of orange, embodying the both the strength and spunk you need to impress the boss.
38. Business Conference: Tom Collins- This classic cocktail is a great choice for impressing and maybe intimidating your competitors at your next business conference. It’s also a great refreshing and sour treat for you after listening to all those boring presentations.

Holidays

39. St. Patrick’s Day: Emerald Isle- This minty gin cocktail is a great choice for St. Patrick’s day revelers who want something a little different than the standard green beer.
40. Halloween: Zombie- While this drink may be sweet, it’s not for the weak, and may have you staggering around like a zombie yourself by the end of the evening. Drink with caution or you might need a Corpse Reviver the next morning.
41. New Years: Champagne Cocktail- Instead of ringing in the New Year with the old standard champagne, mix it up a little with a champagne cocktail. Toast your friends with this classy mix of champagne and brandy, but make sure the champagne is the extra dry kind, as it’s key to the integrity of the drink.
42. Holiday Party: EggNog- While you could just buy some pre-made eggnog at the store, it won’t be nearly as good as when this cocktail is homemade. The ultimate classic holiday drink, it’s great for just about any party and can bring back some serious Christmas nostalgia.
43. 4th of July: Americano- While this drink has a patriotic sounding name, it actually originated in Italy. It was named as such for its popularity with American tourists during those annoying booze-free years of Prohibition. Celebrate the end of prohibition and British tyranny with this sweet and sour drink.
44. Memorial Day: Caipirinha- The Caipirinha is the national drink of Brazil, and for that reason makes it a great choice for marking the start of summer. White rum, lime and sugar make it light and breezy, but also strong.
45. Thanksgiving: Cranberry Margarita- The staples of Thanksgiving include turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and cranberries, but only one of those would make a delicious cocktail. This icy treat is perfect for sipping while you lie around in your post meal coma.
46. Mardi Gras: Sazerac- A product of the bayou culture, the Sazerac is the quintessential New Orleans cocktail and one of the oldest known cocktails. Originally made with Cognac and absinthe, today’s version uses Pernod and Rye Whiskey or Bourbon. Order one for Mardi Gras to drink like a native in the Big Easy.

Miscellaneous

47. Hangover: Bloody Mary- If you had a bit too much the night before, help ease yourself back into the land of the living with a Bloody Mary and a greasy breakfast.
48. Waiting at the Airport: The Aviation- This used to be one of the most popular cocktails back in the early days of aviation, supposed named because of its similarity to early flight– a risky venture not for the faint of heart. Bring it back the next time you’re hanging out in an airport on a lengthy layover.
49. Feeling Sick: Hot Toddy- Drinking may not be the first thing you think of when you get sick, but southern mothers have been swearing by this drink for ages and there are infinite variations on the recipe. Even if you’re not sick, it’s also great for warming up after being out in the cold.
50. Taking a Cruise: Sea Breeze- The mix of vodka, cranberry and grapefruit juices makes this a light and tasty drink for hanging out on the decks of a cruise ship. Just don’t drink too much and take a tumble overboard!

It’s your worst day ever: your car breaks down, you got a run in your panty hose, and you start to feel a cold coming on. Don’t worry about running to the doctor or spending a fortune on a replacement for a new car part; instead, check out our list of 101 quick fixes. From exercise tricks to organizational hacks these will help you get your day back on track in no time.

Health and Wellness

Monitor your health and wellness with these 5-minute check-ins.

1. Motivate yourself: Is your exercise motivation starting to suffer? HealthHacks.com recommends measuring your progress to motivate yourself to continue exercising and set new goals. Write down your personal expectations as a way to commit yourself.
2. Tone your arms: Whenever you’ve got a few extra minutes, give your workout a quick fix by doing this fast push up routine.
3. Take deep breaths: Take a minute to de-stress by relaxing your shoulders and taking several slow, deep breaths. You’ll feel instantly energized and will gain more perspective on your many to-do lists.
4. Listen to your favorite song: Another way to dispel stress is to take a few minutes to listen to your favorite song. If you’re at home, dance around the room to loosen up and relax.
5. Fitness Fix: Oops! You weren’t supposed to eat that whole piece of cake at the office birthday party. When you get home, try one of these intense cardio moves to blast extra calories.
6. Airborne: Many people swear by Airborne tablets when they want to avoid getting a cold. At the first sign of the sniffles, gulp down a glass (no matter how bad it tastes!)
7. Take a nap: This one might take a little longer than 5 minutes, but even a short cat nap will help your body rejuvenate, especially if you think you’re starting to get sick. Continuing to pull all-nighters will only make your system crash.
8. Quick Fixes for a Cold: From multiple glasses of orange juice to Zicam, find out what these Yahoo! recommend to help you feel better when you have a cold.
9. Alka-Seltzer: Whether you’ve got indigestion or a killer hangover, a glass of Alka-Seltzer will soothe your tummy in no time.
10. Slap cold water on your face: When you’re exhausted, nervous, or just need a little more perspective on life, run to the bathroom and slap some cold water on your face to bring back the more coherent, sensible you.
11. Meditate: Studies show that meditating for just a few minutes at a time can help to "increase energy and decrease anxiety and stress."
12. A Quick Fix for Fainting: The next time you feel faint, try "crossing your ankles and clenching your thighs together, or interlocking your fingertips and pulling in opposite directions, [which] makes the fainting feeling go away."

Home and Garden

From cleaning up the lawn to repairing furniture, this list is full of DIY projects that will improve the overall appearance and quality of your home.

13. Homestyle Cleaning Solutions: These Hints From Heloise homemade cleaning solutions will save you from having to run to the store to buy cleaning supplies to straighten up before company comes.
14. Patching up the roof: Until you can save up to call the roofers, use this guide to help you install metal flashings for a quick fix.
15. Reduce Swelling on Doors: To reduce the swelling on old doors, TextFiles.com advises homeowners to blow hot air from a hand-held hair dryer directly on the places that are causing the doors to stick. Once you have removed the moisture from those spots, the swelling will go down."
16. How to Clean a Lampshade: This article reveals a smart tip for getting rid of stains on a lampshade: rub a gummy eraser over the spots.
17. Heloise Tackles Holiday Stains: From coffee to cranberries, check out these fast fixes for getting rid of unsightly stains.
18. How to Drill Without Getting Dust in Your Eye: This quick fix was designed with DIY homeowners in mind. If you’re drilling a hole into the ceiling, cut a small hole into an aluminum pan and then hold it up over the hole you’re making in the ceiling.
19. Brighten up a room: When was the last time you dusted your lampshades or light fixtures? If you’re wondering why your room is looking so gloomy, take a dust cloth and swipe it over your light bulbs for a quick brightening trick.
20. Ten Quick Landscape Fixes: Clean up your lawn and garden with these temporary solutions to overgrown weeds and more.
21. Make the most of color: After the painters left, did you break down and change your mind about what color you wanted your walls to be? Prevention.com has an idea for how you can recover immediately: "Scavenge the rest of your house for accessories that will tone down the offending color" like contrasting pillows and accessories.
22. Make the most of your lighting: If your furniture is impossible dusty, dim the lights a little so your guests won’t see. Make the most of each room’s lighting to hide spots, stains and dust or to show off your cleanest, most attractive areas.

Food and Drink

Check out our list of quick fixes for recipes, drink ideas and solutions to other food-related crises.

23. Fastest Dinner Recipes: If you’re in a bind about what to cook for dinner, visit this site for GoodHousekeeping’s list of fastest dinner recipes.
24. Fake a Steamer: If you don’t have a steamer but are halfway through your recipe before you realize you need one, read this guide on how to improvise.
25. Upgrade your vodka: All of you’ve got is McCormick’s, and you just found out that your boss is coming over. Instead of rushing out to the liquor store, pour your vodka into a Brita. The filtered vodka will be much tastier with those martinis.
26. How to Avoid Crying When Chopping Onions: Get your eyes to stop watering by cutting out a cone from the bottom of the onion before you start chopping and dicing.
27. Stop the burn: After eating hot peppers or chiles, your mouth will be on fire. Water won’t help it cool down, so what do you do? Check out this post to find out what works.
28. Make a fire from a can of Coke and a chocolate bar: If you’re trying to make dinner in the middle of the woods but can’t seem to get a spark going, use this trusty hack from WildwoodsSurvival.com to make a fire.
29. How to Cure a Hangover: About.com writer Colleen Graham offers several quick tips for curing a hangover, including drinking orange juice, taking Alka-Seltzer, making a Bloody Mary and drinking pickle juice.
30. Quick and Easy Snacks: If you find yourself starving in between meals, don’t waste time (and calories) rummaging through the vending machine or cabinets for a little of this and a little of that. Visit this website to find the most effective snacks that will satisfy your cravings.
31. 10 Minute Meals: Can you really make an entire meal in 10 minutes? Follow these recipes to find out how to prepare delicious dishes in a flash.
32. Soften cookies that have been cooked too long: If your cookies came out crunchier than you wanted, put them into a ziploc bag with a piece of bread. Let them sit overnight, and they’ll be soft and yummy in the morning.

Travel

When you’re away from home, simple problems can seem so much wore. Read below for easy tricks to help you get back to your vacation.

33. Chew gum to stop ears from popping on a plane: Unless you can continue to induce yawning for 10 solid minutes, your best bet to stop your ears from popping during take-off and landing is to chew gum.
34. Soothe dry skin after a flight: After a long flight, your skin and lips could probably use a little rehydration. For skin, The Daily Obsession blog recommends Evian Water Spray. For lips, crush a capsule of Vitamin E and rub onto your lips.
35. Franklin Global Translator: If your college French skills suddenly take their leave the moment you land in Paris, use a portable electronic translator like this one to help you on your trip.
36. Instant Humidity: The 43 Folders wiki knows how to beat super dry hotel rooms: just wet an extra towel and hang it over your headboard to balance out the humidity.
37. Beauty Tricks for Travel: This article from MarieClaire.com has several great beauty hacks that will save you from the drying effects of long plane trips.
38. Fog-Proof Bathroom Mirror: Hotel bathroom mirrors are notorious for fogging up after each shower. This post suggests soaping up the mirror and then buffing it off with a dry towel to keep "the mist from condensing on the mirror."
39. Book online: If you need to change a flight or just want to plan a very last minute vacation, skip the travel agent and the airport agents and book online. Travelers can find great deals on Expedia.com or Hotwire.com.

Automotive and Electronic

From car parts to XBoxes, take a look at these tips for temporary solutions to broken down vehicles and electronics.

40. Quick Fixes for Better Sound: Want to get better sound out of your microphone or sound system without having to pay for new equipment? Check out this article, which gives great tips including cleaning your contacts, enabling high-res mode on plug-ins and more.
41. Fix a leaky radiator pipe with duct tape: TheCarConnection.com recommends using duct tape for patching up a leaky radiator pipe until you can bring your car into the shop.
42. Get rid of body rust: DoItYourself.com has a handy idea for buffing out rust on your vehicle. Dip a piece of steel wool in kerosene and use it to "rub away small rust patches."
43. Fix a dragging tailpipe with a coat hanger: If your tailpipe is dragging on the road, wrap a metal coat hanger around the pipe, "looping through where the clamp was and twisting it at the ends."
44. Prevent foggy windows: Use shaving cream to coat your car’s windshield when they start to fog up. You can buff it off with dry paper towels and "repeat whenever the windows begin to collect fog again, or after washing your windows with window cleaner."
45. Fix-A-Flat: If you can’t remember how to change your flat, or you’d just rather get off the side of the interstate as fast as you can, air up your flat tire with Fix-A-Flat, which "seals and inflates in just minutes," according to the product’s website.
46. Clean corroded battery terminals: Make your own cleaning solution made up of baking soda and water to clean corroded battery terminals and increase their connectivity.
47. Fix a dent: Instead of taking your car to the shop every time someone dents your car door in the parking lot, DoItYourself.com recommends getting the toilet plunger and "placing it over the dent. Pump the plunger to create suction, and pull. The dent should pop out when you pull away the plunger."
48. XBox 360 Towel Trick: Can you really fix an old XBox 360 with a fluffy towel? This article from engadget.com says you can, maintaining "that blanketing your 360 with a towel, firing it up for 10 minutes or so, turning it off, and then removing the towel will mysteriously allow your machine to function for a couple hours."
49. Use aluminum foil to fix your antenna: It’s an old school method that still works. If you’re getting terrible reception on your TV, try wrapping bits of tin foil around the antenna to attract a better signal.
50. 5 Quick Fix-It Tips for Your iPhone: If you’re having problems with your iPhone, use these quick fix-it tips to unfreeze it, manage the reset options and more.
51. Going Green: Follow these tips to find a way to go green even when you’re using technology.

Fashion and Beauty

Wardrobe malfunctions can happen at anytime. Arm yourself with these quick fix solutions that will help you look your best, no matter what.

52. Patch up panty hose: Paint clear nail polish around a run in panty hose to seal up the hole and prevent it from tearing even further.
53. Dry nail polish faster with cold water: After letting newly-painted nails air dry for two minutes, dunk them into a bowl of ice cold water to let the polish harden.
54. Zap a pimple overnight: Dab toothpaste on a pimple before you go to sleep to instantly dry it up. It might take two or nights for the pimple to go away completely, but this trick is especially effective if you can catch the pimple in its early stages.
55. Tame fly-aways with clear mascara: If you’re trying to control a specific hairstyle, or if the weather is too humid for your unruly hair, swipe a small amount of clear mascara over the fly-aways to hold them in place.
56. Look more awake with white eyeliner: After you’ve finished your makeup, do you still look like you could use a few more hours of sleep? Perk up your eyes by applying white eyeliner to the inner corners of your eyelid. You’ll only need a little bit to make your whole face look brighter.
57. Fix a pilling sweater: iVillage’s Beauty page has a quick fix for a pilling sweater: "Rub a piece of Velcro along the pilled fabric" to smooth it down.
58. Fix a Streaky Self Tan: This tip from CBSNews.com advises readers to "sweep a cotton ball soaked in 100 percent lemon juice over streaky areas" to blend in a tan.
59. Clean up make up stains: Remove make up stains from your clothes by gently rubbing baby wipes on the spot.
60. Improvise when you lose the back of an earring: The blog Beauty Women Advice suggests taking the eraser off a pencil to improvise when you lose the back to your earring.
61. Preparation H your face: If your face is swollen because you’ve eaten too much salt, you could gulp down several glasses of water (which will only make your tummy bloated for the next few hours). Or, you could "massage massage a pea-size dab of Preparation-H on swollen areas…and wash it off after 15 minutes," according to a December 2001 article in Shape magazine.
62. Quick Fix for a Locker Room Disaster: This blogger writes about saving face when she realizes the only products she has in her locker room bag are a blow dryer, black eyeliner and Udderly Smooth Udder Cream.
63. Slim down your face with make up: Forget dieting. This beauty quick fix shows readers how to slim down their faces with a few makeup tricks, like playing up eyes, plumping up lips and highlighting your cheeks with bronzer, blush and highlighters.
64. Lipstick recipe: You’re in a rush to meet your date on time, and you realize that you’re out of lipstick — or worse, your lipstick just broke off in your rush to crack open the tube. Realsimple.com has a recipe for improvising at the last minute: Dab cream or even powder blush onto your lips and then top off with lip gloss or Chapstick to smooth it over.
65. 3 Quick Fix Makeup Tips: What do you do when you realize you’ve put on way too much makeup? Don’t wash your face and start all over: read this guide to help you fix your face in seconds.

Gift Giving

Have you been procrastinating or did you really not receive the invite until the day of the party? Find last minute gifts with these clever ideas.

66. The Gift Card: Gift cards from department stores, boutiques, restaurants and cinema houses are great presents that require hardly any thought. Pick one up on the way to the party for a quick fix.
67. Money: Stuff your extra cash into a card for a gift that will be appreciated by anyone.
68. Lottery Tickets: Lottery tickets are cheap and fun additions to any card or gift bag. Throw in a few scratch off games, but only if they agree to share the big prizes with you!
69. Unused bath soaps: Everyone has an extra stash of shower gel and pretty bath soaps under the sink. As long as they’re still in the wrapper and the seal hasn’t been broken, swipe your unused bath soaps and scented lotions for an indulgent gift.
70. Magazine subscription: This gift idea is the perfect quick fix, because you don’t even have to buy it in time for the party. Just slip one of the order inserts from one of the recipient’s favorite magazines into a card, and tell them their first magazine will arrive in the mail shortly. Don’t forget to order it as soon as you get home.
71. Baked goods: If you forgot to bring a gift for the host or hostess of the party you’re attending, put some Ready to Bake! Pillsbury cookie dough into the oven. Your host will appreciate the gesture, and besides, who doesn’t love homemade cookies?

Study Reviews

Last minute cram sessions require these quick-fix websites and guides when you need to review for a test fast.

72. SparkNotes: Touted as "today’s most popular study guides," the SparkNotes review guides are a great way to review for tests, class discussions or essay assignments. If you didn’t read the book, you can find in-depth character analyses, a section that outlines themes and motifs and of course, a plot overview.
73. PinkMonkey: PinkMonkey also features a vault of study guides for books and college text books.
74. Study World: Students can find Cliffs Notes, Monarch notes and other useful study guides here for a quick fix when trying to review for class.
75. Babel Fish: Your Spanish paper is due in 30 minutes, and you’re still having trouble translating the title! Use Babel Fish to help you translate in a flash.
76. FreeTranslation.com: FreeTranslation.com is another website that offers free translation services that are instant and reliable.
77. CliffsNotes: CliffsNotes claims to be "the fastest way to learn." Get help with study guides in all subjects, not just literature.

Professional Quick Fixes

Sometimes it’s just not your day. Read below to find out how to deal with stressful situations, manage clients and more.

78. 30 Quick Fixes for Windows XP and Vista: If your office computers run on Windows operating systems, chances are you’ve got a lot of little bugs now and then. Check out this popular article for how to make the most of your Windows computer.
79. Quick Fixes for Wardrobe Troubles: This article shows professionals how to make the most of their office supplies when you have a wardrobe malfunction.
80. Sign up for a spam filter: If your inbox is constantly being inundated with junk e-mails, clean it up in a flash by adding a spam filter that will prevent unwanted e-mails from barging in.
81. Set up an automatic reply message when you’re swamped: If you’re totally swamped at work and don’t have time to answer the phone or respond to e-mails, set up an auto reply message letting clients know that you’ll have to get back to them later that day. Simply ignoring the e-mails won’t work; it will probably just encourage people to start calling you on the phone.
82. Start labeling: With all that mess on your desk, you’re probably wasting lots of time trying to figure out what everything is and where it goes. Start an impromptu labeling system — even if consists of writing on folders with a Sharpie — to give your lack of organization a quick fix.
83. Ask for help: This quick fix is actually a smart idea that will pay off in the long run. When you’re overwhelmed, you probably won’t be able to get much done anyway. Consult your supervisor for a fast way to gain a little perspective.
84. Delegate: If you’re honestly unable to juggle all of your responsibilities one day, hand a few duties over to your employees. Ask the intern to organize your files, or have your secretary make a couple of phone calls for you. Just be sure to say thank you at the end of the day.
85. Send e-mails instead of using the phone: If you want to check in on clients to make sure they aren’t feeling neglected, send a brief e-mail to ask how they’re doing and if they’d like to schedule a meeting at a later date. Picking up the phone will just open you up to small talk.
86. Last Minute Marketing Strategies: This article has great ideas for businesses who need to patch up their marketing strategies quickly.
87. Donate to a charity: Does your company have a reputation for being greedy, unreliable or too expensive? All you need is some good PR. Donate your services or a percentage of your holiday profits to a local charity, and then send a press release to the newspaper to boost your public image.
88. Request an extension on your taxes: If you file your taxes as an individual, NFIB.com reports that "you can request a six-month extension using Form 4868, the Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File a U.S. Individual Income Tax Return." You’ll have to pay your taxes eventually, but this quick fix will save you from having to pay a fine as well.

Organizing

Make your home clutter free with these instant quick fixes for organizing.

89. Feng Shui your room: Rearrange your furniture to give your room a bit of a boost. The principles of feng shui hold that moving around items in a room promote the free flow of energy, which in turn gives you more energy and increases your productivity.
90. Donate items to charity: A fast way to declutter your closet is to throw items you no longer want or need into a box or garbage bag. Toss the bag into your trunk and drop it off at a Goodwill station the next time you drive by.
91. Throw things away: Don’t go overboard with this tip, or you might regret it later. But a quick fix for emptying a room of its mess is to pick up trash and throw unwanted items that no one else can use in the trash.
92. 60 Second Organizing Tip: About.com writer Sarah Aguirre reveals easy and super fast ways to clean up the house when you don’t have much time.
93. Vacuum to make a room smell better: If you don’t have hours to sit around waiting for the new potpourri to work its magic, run the vacuum through a room to freshen it up. You’ll be surprised at how much better it smells.
94. Load up the dishwasher: Clear off the counter and empty the sink by throwing dirty dishes in the dishwasher for an instant clutter removal trick.
95. Utilize the utility room: If you have piles of dirty clothes on the floor but no time to do laundry, go ahead and throw a load into the washing machine or even the dryer, but don’t run them until after your guests leave.
96. Air freshener: Spray air freshener into the fan to improve the smell of an entire room. The fan will help circulate the scent much faster.
97. Throw everything into the bedroom: As a last resort, move all of the clutter into another room to give the illusion of a neat house. Just remember to close the door!
98. Hang a picture over cracked paint: If there’s a stain on the wall or the paint is starting to flake off, hang up a picture from another room over the spot to cover up the damage.
99. Last Minute Holiday Organizing Tips: Check out this list of tips that will help you get organized for the holidays. All it takes is 5 minutes.
100. Sort your mail: To help you organize your life, set up a simple filing system for your mail. Separate envelopes into piles for bills that need to be paid, letters that need to be responded to, and junk mail that can be thrown away.
101. Make your bed: An unmade bed can make the whole room look much worse than it actually is. Straighten up the covers, arrange the pillows neatly, and watch your room transform.

No, we’re not advocating the battle to see how few calories you can consume each day or promoting crash diets in any form or function; however, if you’re a snack-o-holic who can’t stop munching and crunching in between meals, try snacking on one of these negative calorie foods instead of gobbling down a cupcake or big bag of chips. Your body can burn more calories just by chewing and processing the snack than the food contains already. In other words, you’ll be able to keep eating throughout the day without packing on extra pounds.

1. Celery: A staple on most party veggie trays, celery (without the ranch dressing) is a crispy snack that you can enjoy without worrying about taking in any calories. It is high in sugar and sodium, but still much healthier than pigging out on brownies or salty peanuts.
2. Oranges: Before you leave for work in the morning, toss an orange into your bag for a mid-morning or late afternoon snack. An orange typically contains only 45 calories, so feel free to eat the whole thing!
3. Strawberries: Strawberries are a popular negative calorie food because of their natural sweetness and juiciness. Sprinkle a few on your breakfast cereal to give your metabolism an extra jumpstart early in the day.
4. Tangerines: A smaller, more tart version of the orange, tangerines are another negative calorie food that’s both tasty and portable. Enjoy one or two for a snack throughout the day to stimulate your taste buds without having to dig through the candy drawer.
5. Grapefruit: As big as it is, grapefruit –without the extra sugar on top– is a surprisingly negative calorie food. One-half of a grapefruit only contains 36 calories but a whopping 78% of your daily value of potassium.
6. Carrots: Carrots don’t just make your eyes sparkle; they also let you snack guilt-free. Snack on baby carrots instead of chips and salsa while you make dinner, or keep a bag in your office refrigerator when you feel the need to eat due to stress.
7. Apricots: Indulge in nutrient-rich apricots for a sweet snack with negative calories. Your higher metabolism and thinning waistline will thank you.
8. Lettuce: There’s a dirty little rumor in the magazine industry that the girls at Vogue keep lettuce in their desks to snack on when the hunger pains strike, but they can’t afford to compromise their stick thin figures. We’re guessing you’re not about to go through the day dizzy with starvation, but you can make yourself a hearty salad with lots of lettuce (and other negative calorie veggies!) once you get home. Don’t forget to take it easy on the dressing.
9. Tomatoes: Chop up a tomato to give your sandwich, salad or egg whites omelet extra flavor without adding any calories.
10. Cucumbers: Your salad can’t survive on lettuce alone. Cucumbers are another negative calorie food that are great for crunching on when your mouth is getting bored. Check here for tips on growing your own cucumbers.
11. Watermelon: A traditional summertime treat, enjoying a watermelon is almost fun and delicious as eating candy because of its super sweet, super juicy nature. Plus, you’ll burn off all the calories crunching, digesting, and of course, spitting out the seeds.
12. Cauliflower: Another party platter vegetable, raw cauliflower is naturally low in fat and of course, calories, so don’t be shy about piling up your cocktail napkin.
13. Apples: An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but when eaten as a snack instead of candy bars or chips, apples will also keep the calories at bay. With only 81 calories per apple, your body also works a lot harder and longer to digest the fruit many other snack options.
14. Hot Chili Peppers: Excess seasonings and dressings pile on lots of fat and calories to otherwise healthy meals. To avoid gaining weight simply because you’re a condiments junkie, experiment with more natural seasonings like hot chili peppers, which is a negative calorie food.
15. Zucchini: Zucchini is a versatile, negative calorie food that can be baked, steamed, fried (not recommended), or prepared in many other ways. With just 15 calories per 100g, make zucchini your new diet staple.

Implementing negative calorie foods into your daily diet doesn’t just help you lose weight by cutting calories; it also speeds up your metabolism and introduces healthier items like fruits and vegetables into your regular food choices and favorite recipes. So no matter how you look at it, you’ll come out ahead.

Let’s face it: do any of us really put in 8 solid hours of work each day? We didn’t think so. More often than not, we’re blankly staring at the computer screen, getting up for breaks, and shuffling around papers trying to look busy. But if your boss is starting to wonder why you take 12 trips to the bathroom before lunch, chances are you need some more tricks up your sleeve for procrastinating. This list of 80+ ways to actually have fun at the office will keep your mind off the clock.

Games

These online games will keep you occupied during the countdown until 5 p.m.

1. Wicked Good Games: Find free online games that work with any browser on this website.
2. Cyrkam Airtos Game: This game features bored office mates who try to toss crumpled up papers into the wastebasket.
3. FetchFido’s Free Online Games: Play free games like Anti Pacman, Hoops Mania and Crazy Mammoth on this site.
4. Paintball the Office: Relieve stress by shooting your paintball gun at irritating smiley faces that roll around an office setting.
5. Miniclip Games: Miniclip has hundreds of games. Keep track of your favorites by maintaining a "My Games" list, or search categories like Motorsports, Retro, 3D, or 5 Minute "in a hurry" games.
6. Office Hours Games: This British site caters to the procrastinating professional. Play card and casino games, sports games, puzzles and word games, or check out funny cartoons and slideshows.
7. MiniGames.org: Playing these games requires an email account, but taking the time to create a free account is definitely worth it. Your boss won’t be able to pull you away from addictive games like Jewel Quest or Blast Billiards.
8. Howler.com: Play free online Flash games on this website. Categories include adventure, arcade, sports and more.
9. NBC Primetime Games: Play games centered around all your favorite NBC primetime shows like The Biggest Loser, Bionic Woman, Las Vegas, Late Night with Conan O’Brien and Law and Order.
10. Whoop Ass: Office Edition: Ambush your co-workers as they head to the water cooler by opening up a can of whoop ass and taking them out.
11. Online Casinos: Try your hand at poker and get gambling tips from the online casino.
12. Office Space: The Game: "Yeahhh, I’m gonna need you to come in Saturday…" Escape Lumbergh and the rest of the office brown nosers by deftly maneuvering around each cubicle.

Quizzes and Trivia

Ever wanted to know which Simpsons character you are? Need to find out what your body’s ideal diet is? If you’ve got some time to kill at the office, take these ridiculous quizzes to make time go by a little faster.

13. Brainfall: Brainfall has all kinds of quizzes in categories like TV shows, movies, and more. Find out which beer best fits your personality, or discover which famous artist you’re most like.
14. Quibblo.com: Are you still in love with your ex? The Simpsons vs. Family Guy? Find out by taking the quizzes at quibblo.com.
15. Go To Quiz: Take one of the popular quizzes like "What mental disorder do you have?" or make up your own quiz to post on your MySpace page or blog.
16. Tickle Personality Tests: Tickle has hundreds of tests and quizzes in categories like career, relationship, mind and body, and lifestyle. Find out if your current job is worth fighting for, or if your dream job is just around the corner.
17. World’s Smallest Political Quiz: If you’re tired of trying to figure out where you stand on the issues and can’t decide who to vote for, take this quick and easy political quiz which can help you "determine your political identity."
18. Quick Trivia: Test your knowledge of pop culture, science, history and more with the trivia questions on this website.
19. FunTrivia.com: Play games and answer trivia quizzes on the "world’s largest largest trivia and quiz site."
20. TV Trivia: Guess the TV theme song or answer questions about your favorite characters from Roseanne, Little House on the Prairie, ALF, or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
21. Big Bucks Trivia: Take the online trivia quizzes on this site, and you could win big cash prizes.
22. Online Jeopardy: Play the online Jeopardy game, and brag to your co-workers about how much virtual money you win.
23. The Green Office: Let the Office Footprint Calculator tell you how green (or not) your office culture is by considering location, transportation, machinery and more.
24. QuizPox: These "fun and entertaining personality tests" run from the ridiculous — "What is your prison name?" — to the completely absurd — "What panties fit your personality?"

Surveys

Earn a little extra cash without giving up anymore of your precious time. Take these paid surveys from your office computer, and watch your bank account bulge.

25. Survey Club: Register for a free account, and then select the surveys that are most interesting to you. Take one whenever you have a free minute or two at the office.
26. YellowSurveys.com: This site claims that survey takers can make from $10 - $150 per hour by "taking fun, exciting paid surveys."
27. Free Paid Surveys: This online survey guide connects you to paid survey sites and gives tips on improving your survey-taking skills.
28. Maximum Paid Surveys: This site allows you to take paid online surveys, try out new products, and participate in focus groups.

Online Shopping

Get all of your shopping done while you’re still at the office. These sites are great for finding new presents for yourself or gifts for others. If your supervisors catch you slacking off, just tell them you’re shopping for boss appreciation gifts!

29. Amazon.com: Amazon.com is the premier online shopping network. Find great deals on books and music, toys, clothes, auto parts, and even grocery items.
30. eBay: Logging on to your eBay account from work means that you can keep track of your bids all day long. Search for rare collectibles and sold out concert tickets, or get discounts on DVDs and new electronics.
31. Love 2 Buy: This site is "an online shopping mall" where you can search for clothes, household items, electronics and gifts. Never pay more than $8.95 for shipping and handling, no matter how much you order.
32. Bluefly: Buying Prada and Gucci bags from the store might be more exciting, but shopping online at Bluefly will get you the sweet deals. Search the new arrivals section for the latest in men’s and women’s fashions, or go straight to the clearance bin for the best discounts.
33. AOL Shopping: If you’re not sure what to shop for but know you’d rather be shopping than working, check out AOL’s shopping pages to find featured items in computers and electronics, clothing, DVDs and more.
34. Overstock.com: Find everything from kitchenware to auto auctions at Overstock.com. Use the gift finder if you need help shopping for birthdays or holidays, or check out the clearance pages for special discounts.
35. Coupon Chief: Find free coupons to popular stores like BestBuy, the Gap and Target.
36. Planet Online: Planet Online boasts "3 click shopping" for buyers who need to do their shopping on the sly. Search the many different categories for the perfect item, compare prices, and then buy it at the online checkout before your boss can see what you’re doing.

Websites

Check out this list of websites that are all designed for procrastinators like you.

37. Super Viva: SuperViva Life Lists is the best way to waste your time at work (according to Marie Claire, Jan 2007) - a fun way to dream about everything you want to do in life and plan it on a life list.
38. IShouldBeWorking.com: This slackers’ paradise is full of games, office humor, entertainment and sports news, and tons of other links that will keep you away from work.
39. The Office: NBC’s popular TV show, The Office, also has a great website for jaded professionals. Play games, watch webisodes and submit funny photos from your office.
40. Bored.com: Bored.com is a procrastinator’s Mecca. Access games, surveys, videos, cartoons and other silly stuff that will cheer you up.
41. PointlessSites.com: This website is all "about time wasting." Download ringtones, play around with the surrealist compliment generator, play games, and figure out your birthdate in Pi.
42. Superbad.com: This bizarre website is the ultimate mindless time waster. Clicking different parts of the screen will take you to more outrageous pages, leaving you to wonder, "Does it ever end?"
43. The Onion: Indulge your sarcastic side with "America’s Finest News Source," The Onion. This popular spoof of The New York Times publishes hilarious stories, opinion pieces and personal ads.
44. Modern Humorist: Witty articles like "Mp3s=Communism" and "MonkeyHotOrNot" will boost your mood at the office. If you’re feeling extra bold, send "grating e-cards that convey what you’re too cowardly to say" in person.
45. 80s Nostalgia: If you lived through the 80s without too much scarring, you’ve got a lot to be proud of. Check out this website for classic 80 TV, memories and even a dictionary.
46. Lyrics Download: Find out what that song on the office-approved radio station is really talking about. Find over 625,000 lyrics on this site.
47. People.com: Discover what celebrities are doing and wearing with the news, gossip and photos on People.com.
48. National Lampoon: This site is full of hilarious time wasters. Read outrageous college stories, watch Toga TV, play National Lampoon games, listen to National Lampoon radio, and much more.
49. Lunchtimers: This site is so addictive you won’t be able to wait until your lunch break to play the multi-user games.
50. Sudoku: Sudoku lovers will get lost in this site of games, challenges, forums and more.
51. Google Fight: Make up an online fight pitting Facebook against Google, the holidays against school, or any other combination you think up.
52. Websites to Waste Time To: Click on the links on this monster list of even more websites that are great time wasters.

More Internet Time Wasters

This miscellaneous group of time wasters will make you look busy while you have fun procrastinating.

53. Clockwatching Heaven: Find out what time it is in top cities around the world. This website suggests throwing a silent party when "your fellow workers reach 5 PM in Paris or Sydney."
54. All recipes: Start planning what you’re going to make for dinner while you’re still at the office. By the time you get home, you’ll probably be too tired and hungry to think about anything other than frozen pizza, so this fun diversion is also a practical one!
55. YouTube: Even if you have to turn the sound down on the more outrageous videos, you and your co-workers will get a good laugh out of the crazy videos sent in from all over the world.
56. Send ecards to your friends: Picking out a silly e-card from sites like 1001 Postcards will keep your mind off of your dull day.
57. Keep up with a social network: It’s possible to spend hours clicking through profiles on social networking sites like Facebook or LinkedIn. Update your profile, search for new friends, or have fun scoping out random members in other countries.
58. Astrology.com: Just because you’re having a bad day today doesn’t mean the rest of the week is going to be terrible…or does it? Take a peek into the future by reading your horoscopes on Astrology.com.
59. Read or maintain a blog: Blogging is a great way to waste time at the office. Let your readers know what’s going on in your day, or subscribe to RSS feeds from your favorite bloggers on the Web. Just don’t get too specific on your site, though, or your boss might not be unhappy with your posts.
60. Organize a personal photo album: Sites like Shutterfly let users set up and custom design their own photo albums online to be shared with family and friends. Get your mind off work and focus on the good times you’ve had.
61. Read a magazine: Don’t you wish you could kick your feet up and flip through a magazine while you’re at work? Unless you’re catching up on industry news, flipping through tabloids probably isn’t allowed. Many magazines, however, publish features and extras online so that you can take a break whenever you want.
62. Book a flight: Plan a vacation somewhere far, far away from your office even while you’re chained to your desk. Use an online travel service to book a flight or cruise, letting you take that vacation you so desperately need.
63. Online Magnet Poetry: Choose from poetry kits like Shakespeare, pickup lines, college, or artist to create magnetic poetry that no one but you has to see.
64. Human for Sale: If someone were to put you up for sale, how much people anyone pay? Calculate your worth by evaluating your sense of humor, athletic ability, income level and more.
65. The Dialectizer: Type in a phrase in The Dialectizer’s text box, and see how it would be translated into jive, cockney, redneck and other funny dialects.
66. Watch TV: No, we don’t mean set up an entire entertainment system in your office. But when your boss is out of the office, check out these online TV channels, and watch the day fly by.

Fun Around the Office

Grab your co-workers and indulge in a little fun that’s not listed in your job description.

67. Play on the playground: These toys from Office Playground, Inc. offer up tons of silly fun that’s still office appropriate — sort of. Toss around a Nerf football or use the slingshot flying chicken to play tricks on the office gossip.
68. Put up posters: These irreverent posters are just the thing you need on your walls to spice up office life. Tongue-in-cheek messages like "Using the toilet facilities more than twice a day is forbidden. Further use has to be previously approved by the management" will have your office mates rolling with laughter.
69. Feng Shui your office: If your boss asks you why you’re moving around your office furniture, don’t tell him or her it’s because you’re trying to waste time. It’s just feng shui.
70. Take a cigarette break: Even if you don’t smoke, take a short break whenever you can to go outside and "smoke." You can meet up with friends in other offices, take a walk around the block, or just enjoy the peace and quiet.
71. Plan a party: Whether it’s an office party, a weekend blowout or just drinks after work, subtlety plan a party with your office friends to get your mind off work.

Other

If you’ve played all the games, taken all the surveys and quizzes, and visited all the time waster websites, but you still have a few minutes left until you can pack up and go home, try out these methods for making time go faster.

72. Cute Overload: This weirdly popular site features photos and videos of adorable animals, like "disapproving rabbits," otters, puppies and kittens.
73. Jackson Pollock Art: Move your mouse around the blank page to create your version of a Jackson Pollock masterpiece.
74. Perez Hilton: Find out what this catty celebrity gossip maven has to say about the stars today.
75. Makeover-o-Matic: Give yourself a virtual makeover at work! Experiment with different hair cuts and colors, beauty tricks, and accessories.
76. The Official Time Waster’s Guide: This site links readers to blogs, movie reviews, video games, web comics and more. Discuss each post with other time wasters on the site’s hosted forums.
77. Google yourself: Want to see how your ranked against all the other Joe Schmoes? If you’re not the number one entry under your name, try adding in keywords to increase your chances of getting to the top.
78. Online Dating: Create an online dating profile and flirt with potential mates from the safety of your office chair.
79. Instant message your friends: Find out what your friends are doing at their jobs by connecting online with instant message services like AIM. Plan a movie night, complain about work (just don’t let your boss see!) or count down the minutes until 5p.m. together.
80. Mental floss: This site is "where knowledge junkies get their fix." Catch up on news, trivia, history and general fun facts at Mental Floss.
81. Funny Business blog: The Funny Business blog features "everything about business except the bottom line." Read office-related stories and articles about employee benefits, office ethics, business trips and more.
82. Salary Calculator: Is your salary comparable to the market value? Find out what you could be making with the salary calculators on Salary.com.
83. The Job Bored: Check out this website devoted to office politics, news and "getting through the day." View pictures of the saddest cubicle in the world, watch funny YouTube videos, and get advice on tricky office politics.

Work-at-home moms get a lot of credit for balancing their careers, family and chores all at the same time. But what about work-at-home dads? Dads who choose to stay at home with the kids face the same responsibilities that moms do, but their challenges are often overlooked. Not anymore. Here, we honor 50 useful blogs that focus on work-at-home dads and their unique lifestyle.

Most Popular

Check out these immensely popular blogs written by work-at-home dads.

1. Work-at-home Dad: Ty Tribble is an entrepreneur, husband and father who works from home. He writes about everything from sports to business to the home office, giving support to other WAHDs online.
2. DevDad.com: At DevDad.com, readers will find posts about a young “stay-at-home Dad, geek style”. Find articles that combine parenting issues and technology for a clever approach to the sweet life.
3. Stay-at-home, work-at-home Dad: This stay-at-home dad is also his son’s homeschool teacher. Read about his adventures with homework, playtime and more.
4. Rebel Dad: Learn more about the “stay-at-home dad revolution” by checking out Rebel Dad. Get tips on starting your own dads’ group, read articles about taking your kids to the doctor and more.
5. At Home Daddy: This SAHD talks about raising the kids, doing what “the boss lady” says, and many more adventures.
6. work-at-home Dad: This Irish dad is married with four children. Read posts about blogging, fatherhood, technology, chores and homework. This dad does it all!
7. House Dad Chronicles: This father shares delicious recipes that are always a hit at his house.
8. KC Home Dad: This Kansas City stay-at-home dad reveals secrets for finding balance and contentment with a life lived at home.
9. Christian work-at-home Dads: This popular blog discusses family, community, business, health and technology, all from a religious perspective. CWAHD also publishes job listings and allows readers the chance to submit their own articles.
10. Joeprah: Anecdotes of a stay-at-home Dad: Joeprah’s blog serves as a place where stay-at-home dads can connect. Use the forum to tell your happiest and most miserable child rearing stories, or check out Joeprah’s own stories and advice about doing the chores, ignoring conventional child rearing rules, and just about everything else.
11. Long Island Dad: This blog is about how one SAHD is “navigating the waters of parenting and life” on Long Island. Recent titles include “Study Shows…Men Need Naps!” and “Parents are More Than Blood Relatives.”
12. A Man Among Mommies: Techie dad Todd is a WAHD who consistently finds himself the only man among mommies, whether he’s taking the kids to swimming lessons, the library, or picking them up from school.
13. A Family Runs Through It: Lighthearted posts on A Family Runs Through It also offer up advice and reviews about homeschooling, parenting and books.
14. SillyDad.com!: This dad doesn’t let staying home with his kids all day keep him from pursuing a successful writing and website career.
15. Dads Stay Home: Join in the discussions on this site’s forums to connect with a larger community of SAHDs. Recent posts include “Do You Cook Thanksgiving Dinner?”

Support and Advice

Stay-at-home dads need a lot of support when it comes to managing a work-life balance, looking after the kids, and keeping up with household chores. Turn to these bloggers for the support and advice that will get you through the week.

16. Where Boys Fear to Tread: Find out how this father of two copes with seemingly simple tasks like grocery shopping, play dates and more.
17. Seattle Stay-at-Home Dads: If you live in the Seattle, WA, area, consider joining up with this network of SAHDs for support, social events and advice.
18. Julie Ann Bonner: This work-at-home mom dispenses valuable advice for moms and dads who work from home, blogging, parenting and more.
19. The stay-at-home Dad Site: This blog provides excellent resources for dads who need tips on cooking, cleaning and keeping their kids occupied all day long.
20. eMoms at Home: eMoms at home supports a “Dad Balance” portal that provides “tips, advice and discussions for working Dads trying to find a healthy balance between their career and their family.” Readers will also find resources for running an Internet business or freelancing career.
21. Adventures of a Stay-at-Home Dad: This father quit his 9-to-5 job to stay-at-home and raise the kids. Read about his efforts to provide for his family financially by starting his own business.
22. Syracuse.com: At-Home Dads: This blog, supported by the Syracuse.com website, is full of news, statistics and stories about the SAHD lifestyle.
23. The Lazy HouseHusband: Check out what really goes on in a day of the life of an online entrepreneur and his three children.
24. African American Dad: This blog offers valuable, warm-hearted support for African American dads and their families. Read posts about books, movies, race, the media and even motherhood.
25. Daddyshack: This blog gives at-home dads a chance to talk about more than just their kids. Find posts about cars, celebrities and sports.
26. Chief Home Officer: Visit this blog for tips on how to turn your home business into a successful career. Readers will also find lots of terrific resources for setting up a home office, taking care of their families and more.
27. Just a Dad: This father of four discusses what it’s like to raise his children while managing a successful website and blogging career.
28. D.A.D. Blog This: D.A.D. stands for “Do as Directed,” a command this young working father is used to saying and obeying.
29. EntrepreneurDad’s work-at-home Blog: Find advice about parenting, starting your own company, and marketing, networking and more on the site’s forums.
30. DadBloggers: This online community of blogging dads lets dads from all over submit posts about parenting, work, family life and more.

Parenting Issues

For more advice on how to raise the kids, take a look at these blogs that tackle parenting issues.

31. Modern Day Dad: SAHDs are faced with all kinds of stereotypes from old-fashioned skeptics. Check out this blog to find out how a modern day dad deals with the criticism and keeps the focus on family.
32. Occupation: Dad: This former teacher is now a father and husband. Read about issues like adoption, sickness and even the tooth fairy.
33. The (Only) Man of the House: This dedicated dad stay home with the kids during the day and goes to work at his TV station job at night. Find out how he manages his hectic schedule.
34. Daddy Detective and Queen Bug: If any of you dads have trouble understanding your daughters, check out this blog that attempts to “decipher” the random clues of parenting.
35. Disney Family: Discover the “answers to everyday family life, including entertainment, parenting, coupons” and more. The site is full of kids’ movie reviews, recipes, and parenting advice, but don’t neglect to check out RandCooper’s family blog for hilarious stories about his struggle to manage a writing career and a family.
36. Another At-Home Dad: This former college professor is now a stay-at-home dad. Read well-written posts about getting crafty with the kids, sending the little ones off the school and more.
37. Parent Hacks: This popular blog is full of “real-world parenting tips from real parents.” When you’re having trouble with your kids, chances are, this blog can give you the advice you’re looking for.
38. I’m Not a Slacker: Whoever thinks full-time parenting is an easy job, they haven’t checked out this blog, written by “a guy who didn’t outsource parenting.”
39. DadCenter: DadCenter features parenting posts “with a Dad-centric bias.” Catch up on “Daddy News,” sports, health issues, tech tips, financial issues and other WAHD stories.
40. The Daily Daddy Blog: This blog is sponsored by the site Dadviser, which encourages men to “be a better dad.” Take the personal development challenges, read posts about relationships and parenting, and get tips on maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
41. Family Man Blog: The Family Man Online is a great resource for finding articles about parenting, catching up on all the news related to kids, education, health and families, and discussing important (and hilarious) issues on the discussion forums.
42. Stay-at-home Parents: This blog from Suite101 focuses on moms and dads whose concerns include “calculating the cost of working, transitioning from work to home, living on one income and exploring work-at-home opportunities.”

Other

These helpful resources share money making opportunities for the work-at-home crowd, parenting tips for raising children and entrepreneur-related articles for managing the home office.

43. BossFreeDad.com: This website provides stay-at-home dads with opportunities to make extra money for their families.
44. Web Worker Daily: Online entrepreneurs, designers, developers and bloggers will benefit from the tips and articles posted on this site.
45. Work It: a blog for Working Moms: Get inside your wife’s head for a few minutes each day by checking out the posts on this great blog. You’ll get a little more insight on what it’s like to spend time away from the kids, come home to a dirty (or clean!) house, and more.
46. Career and Kids: While this blog often focuses on professionals who work at an office outside the home, stay-at-home dads will love the articles about preparing kids for life after school, time management, nurturing your career as well as your family, and setting goals for yourself.
47. work-at-home Business Opportunities: Get ideas for making extra money through a home-based business. Readers will find articles on entrepreneurship, economics, and Internet marketing.
48. Work From Home Blog: This blog is “all about working from home.” Recent titles include “Turning a Hobby Into an Income” and “How to Avoid Work-From-Home Scams.”
49. Home Office Envy: If you’re considering becoming a work-at-home dad, read this blog that outlines the pros of setting up a home office.
50. Daddy Forever: Laugh along with this dad as he shares tales from his lively household. Recent posts include “Seven Things I Learned from My Daughter” and “Grandma is Scary.”

Who says work-at-home dads aren’t as fun or cool as work-at-home moms? Share your stories and adventures with the bloggers on this list, who understand what it’s like to manage a home, a family and a career day after day.

Sometimes the difference between a successful project and one that spirals out of control is getting all your thoughts and ideas laid out before you even get started. One of the best ways to do this is with mind maps, which act as a visual representation of all that stuff you’ve got floating around in your head. This kind of radiant thinking can be a great way to start out working on anything, from redecorating your house to landing a huge project, and there are loads of resources out there to make mind mapping even easier. Here’s a list of 100 tools, resources, blogs, articles and everything else you might need to get started making a road map of your mind.

Free Visualization Tools

Here’s a collection of tools that can help you get your thoughts in order without costing you a thing.

1. Bubbl.us: This easy to use online application allows users to collaborate online, embed and share mindmaps and make colorful printouts to pass around the office.
2. Cayra.net: This PC desktop app lets users visually represent any of their ideas, concepts and projects, making brainstorming fast and easy.
3. MindPlan.com: Add to the usefulness of your LotusNotes with this mind mapping program. You can also use it for project management doubling its usability.
4. Mindomo.com: Map your mind with this web-based tool which allows you to create, share and edit your mind maps without installing any software.
5. Cmap Tools: This tool from IHMC, a university affiliated research institute, gives users the ability to create, share and critique mind maps.
6. Compendium Institute: The Compendium Institute is a free and open forum for users to gain access to the Compendium methodology and tools which are designed to share ideas and help users make things together. Check out their free program for organizing projects and digital information.
7. RecallPlus: Give your learning potential a boost with this powerful online mapping tool. You can even install it on a flash drive, making it easy to take anywhere with you.
8. Debate Mapper: Have an argument you need to win? Get your thoughts in order with this free debate mapping utility.
9. Gliffy: Use Gliffy to draw and share colorful and image-laden diagrams and mind maps right online.
10. WiseMapping: This web-based mind mapping program allows users to share their mind maps with anyone over the Internet by importing, exporting and embedding them in a webpage.
11. Mind42: This free browser-based program allows users to create mind maps, make notes on individual nodes, add images, links and more.
12. Mapul: Spice up your mind maps with over 6,000 free images in Mapul. This web app comes in two levels of service, and requires Silverlight and Java, both of which you can download for free.
13. Bookvar: Make mind mapping easy and fun with Bookvar. Users can create full-color maps and add images and even chat with collaborators.
14. FreeMind: This popular Java-based mind mapping software makes it simple to create mindmaps that can be “folded” and integrated with web links.
15. Deep Mehta: DeepMehta is a “knowledge management” program to help users collaborate and network data. The program is open source and totally free to use.
16. WikkaWiki: Use wikis to map your thoughts with this program. It’s lightweight and PHP based to help you quickly and easily map anything you need.
17. MindMeister: Collaborate on mind maps with coworkers online using MindMeister. The basic level is free, but you can upgrade for a nominal fee to mapping utilities designed for groups and creatives.
18. Labyrinth: This lightweight mapping tool appears simple, but contains powerful tools, allowing users to create useful mind maps within their own browsers.
19. View Your Mind: This tool is great for creating and editing maps that truly visually represent your thoughts and ideas.
20. MindRaider: MindRaider is a Semantic Web outliner, meaning it makes it easy to create maps and outlines of information found on the web, your hard drive, social relationships and more.

Pay and Subscription Visualization Tools

If you need more powerful tools or abilities that free programs just don’t offer, try out these tools instead.

21. Aibase: Aibase is a comprehensive knowledge builder, brainstorming and learning assistance program. As a bonus you’ll also get tools to create vector drawings, tables and images as well.
22. MindMapper: This Windows program can help you integrate with Microsoft Office to create a wide variety of styles and looks for you mind maps.
23. MindVisualizer: Get started thinking visually with this simple mapping tool. You can draw images, create GTD lists, customize the look and even get spell checking.
24. MindJet: Whether your mind mapping for education, business, or just yourself, this tool can give your maps a little zing. Partnered with Microsoft, this tool can also be integrated right into your existing desktop.
25. MindGenius: Keep track of what you want to get accomplished using MindGenius. You’ll find versions of the program catered specifically to businesses and business owners.
26. iMindMap: This well known cross-platform program from mind mapping guru Tony Buzan attempts to use the brain itself to make mind maps by embracing a non-linear thought process.
27. MindCad: Don’t make mind mapping harder than it has to be. Work with your natural thought processes using MindCad for the Mac. Features include linking to web pages and documents, annotations, and more.
28. i2Brain: Visual people will benefit from using i2Brain. This program allows users to create “dimensional” mind maps to distinguish status and importance.
29. HeadCase Mind Mapping: Stimulate your brain with this mapping program that relies heavily on images to help you map what you’re thinking.
30. Spark-Space: This versatile program comes in both business and education versions as well as several different languages.
31. TheBrain: Businesses can use software from TheBrain to provide better customer care, manage projects, collaborate on mind maps, and even help with IT management.
32. Gyronix: This program works with MindJet to give it even more functionality, especially for group use.
33. TopicScape 3D: Create mind maps in 3D with this program that can help you better understand and organize your information.
34. Inspiration: Designed primarily for students, this mapping program can also be useful for business owners wanting to create visual representations of data.
35. Nova Mind: Who says a mind map should only be functional? Use Nova Mind to create maps that are not only useful, but aesthetically pleasing as well.

Tutorials and How-Tos

Mind mapping isn’t complicated, but it can be a little intimidating if you’re new at it. Check out these guides to get some of the basics.

36. 10 Tips for Highly Effective Mindmapping Sessions: Want to make the most of the time you spend mindmapping? Then check out this article to find suggestions for staying focused and what to include.
37. Using Mind Maps for Creativity, Note-Taking and Productivity: Mind maps are useful for a lot of different things, and this article gives some guidance and suggestions on the best ways to use them.
38. How-to Mind Map: Beginners to mind mapping will find this basic how-to helpful in getting started.
39. Blackbelt Mind Map Training: Get professional training and become a mind map master with this company’s site.
40. MindMap Training: Here you’ll find professional training solutions to help you learn to manage your information through mind maps.
41. How to Make a Mind Map: Find detailed instructions as well as an example on this site that can help you get a head start on creating masterful mind maps.
42. Note Taking: A Beginner’s Guide to Mind Mapping Meetings: Have you ever gone to a meeting, taken notes, and then later discovered you don’t quite understand how one point leads to another? Try using a mind map at your next meeting instead, and this guide can get you started.
43. What is Mind Mapping? (and How to Get Started Immediately): This site provides a basic tutorial about mind mapping as well as several colorful examples.
44. How to Use MindMapping in Setting Goals and Managing Time: GTD gurus will appreciate this article on how you can use mindmapping to improve your productivity.
45. Mind Mapping: An Easy Beginning Tutorial: Don’t know a thing about mind mapping? This simple step-by-step will help you get started drawing your way to clearer thoughts and ideas.
46. How To Use Mind Maps To Teach Difficult Grammar Points: Read this article to find out how you can use mind maps to teach and represent just about anything. Grammar may not directly apply to your business, but it can help you think of new an inventive ways to use mind maps.

Resources

Get loads of information on mind mapping with these useful resources.

47. MindMapping.org: Find all the information you ever needed to know about mind mapping at this website and learn all about the software that is out there to help you make the best mind maps.
48. MindMappingStrategies: Learn all about various ways you can use mind maps, like strategic planning, project management, event planning and more with this site.
49. iMindMap: Here you’ll not only find the previously mentioned software for mind mapping, but news, tutorials, videos and educational tools about mind maps as well.
50. About Mind Mapping: Here you’ll find an introduction to mind mapping as well as links to resources and software on the subject.
51. Innovation Tools: Innovation Tools has put together a resource center for mind mapping with links to information, articles and training.
52. Mindtools: This article from Mindtools goes through the basics of mapping, as well as an offering of tips on how to improve your mind maps.
53. JCU Study Skills: Even if you’re no longer a student, you will find this guide from JCU helpful. Learn about mind mapping, how to read maps, and how to map writing and speeches.
54. Illumine Training: Illumine Training is a company that helps businesses train employees on how to mind map. Their site is full of free resources, however, that anyone can take advantage of.
55. List of Mind Mapping Software: This list on Wikipedia offers a guide to all of the mind mapping software out there.
56. The Graphic Organizer: This website is dedicated to resources that help users to organize and use information visually.
57. Mind Map Template: If you’re the hands on type, print out this template and start building your mind map around it.
58. Mind Mapping Examples: There are tons of ways to make a mind map, but if you’re looking for guidance, check out this site loaded with examples.
59. Mind Mapping on Wikipedia: Get the basics straight about mind mapping with this informative Wikipedia article.
60. MindMap Search: If you need more information or resources on mind mapping, check out this site. It brings together the best websites and articles about mind mapping on the Web.

Articles

Keep up with the goings on in the mind mapping world wby using these educational articles.

61. Mind Mapping for Project Management: This article from Innovation Tools can give you some insight into how you can better use mind mapping to manage your next big project.
62. Mind Mapping at 43 Folders: This post and its accompanying comments can give you some great ideas on where to begin with mind mapping.
63. Mind Mapping on the iPhone: You knew the iPhone was cool, but it just got cooler. Learn to take your mind mapping capabilities with you everywhere you go.
64. Helping Children Learn with Mind Mapping: Mind maps aren’t just great for helping children learn; they can also be used to teach employees, clients or even yourself. Check out this article to get some tips.
65. Three web-based mind mapping tools reviewed: Not sure what program to go with when it comes to mind mapping software? This article examines three of the most popular and gives useful advice.
66. Comparison of mind mapping applications: Here you’ll find more reviews of top mind mapping software applications.
67. Mind Mapping in 8 Easy Steps: This quick-start guide to mind mapping from Innovation Networks will have you creating great mind maps in no time.
68. Guerilla Marketing with Mind Maps: Didn’t think mind maps had anything to do with marketing? They can help greatly, and this article will show you how you can use them in your next campaign.
69. Mind Mapping for Web Instruction and Learning: The internet is an incredibly useful tool for learning just about anything. Check out this article to see how you can use mind maps to increase this learning potential whether for employees or customers.

Videos

These videos can help you learn about the brain, mind mapping, or even how it can help your business.

70. Vilayanur Ramachandran: A journey to the center of your mind: Behavioral neurologist Vilayanur Ramachandran talks about how the mind, phonemes and visual data all work together, just like in mind maps.
71. Tony Buzan on Mind Mapping: One of the most well-known advocates of mind mapping, Tony Buzan, discusses how to tap into your internal mental power in this video.
72. How to Draw a Mind Map: Get a visual lesson on drawing mind maps with this short but informative video.
73. Mind Mapping for Your Business: While not the most exciting, this video will give you some helpful information on how you can and should use mind mapping in your day to day business operations.
74. Mind Mapping by Stephen Pierce: Stephen Pierce is a business optimization specialist, and in this video he discusses how mind mapping can be used to your business’ advantage.
75. Thirty Day Challenge: Mind Mapping: This video is about how you can, in 30 days, use mind mapping to improve your business or personal productivity. The author of the video shows his personal maps.

Blogs

Get some advice and information from other mind mappers out there with these blogs.

76. Effective Ways to Mindmap Blog: Get some simple tips on improving your mind mapping with this blog.
77. Activity Owner: This blog was created to share information and experiences with using Gyronix, GTD, MindManager, and Mindjet.
78. Eric Blue’s Blog: Blogger Eric Blue shares his thoughts and opinions on productivity, mind mapping, creativity, visualizations and more.
79. MindMapping Blog: Like the name suggests, this blog is full of posts about mind mapping, primarily focusing on software and web applications.
80. Erik Mack Online: Eric Mack’s blog contains all kinds of posts on productivity, planning, getting things done, and of course, mind mapping.
81. Idea Mapping: Jamie Nast, author of Idea Mapping, shares her thoughts on mind mapping in this blog.
82. Beyond Mind Mapping: Want to learn how to get the most out of your mind mapping software? Then check out this blog focusing on Mind Manager and Gyronix.
83. Mind Mapping Software Blog: This blog is dedicated to providing businesspeople with all the information and resources they need to find the best mind mapping software for their business.
84. The Mindjet Blog: Keep up with the latest in mind mapping and software updates with this blog from the makers of MindJet.
85. The Underlying Blog: Kyle McFarlin, a visual strategy expert, uses his blog to write about mind mapping and whatever else comes to mind.
86. MindMapping 2.0: This blog discusses how and where mind mapping and web 2.0 meet, as the blogger works on his own mind mapping software.
87. Peace of Mind: Blogger Steve Rothwell gives his two cents on everything mind mapping, including applications and examples.
88. My Mind Guide: Here, you’ll find tons of useful links and informative articles on how you can find and use the best mind mapping technology out there.
89. For People Who Love Ideas: This blog focuses on topics that concern ideas and how to organize and make the most of them.
90. Innovation Weblog: This blog from Innovation Tools has articles on the newest innovations in brainstorming and productivity software.

Books and eBooks

Check these books out at your local library or give them a read online to learn about some great techniques to improve your mind mapping experience.

91. The Mind Map Book: How to Use Radiant Thinking to Maximize Your Brain’s Unlimited Potential: This book by well-known mind mappers Tony and Barry Buzan is the mind mapper’s ultimate guide to learning how to make the most out of a simple map.
92. Mapping Inner Space: Learning and Teaching Visual Mapping: Written by Nancy Marqulies and Nusa Maal, this book addresses a number of issues on how you can teach and learn how to take notes visually.
93. Use Both Sides of Your Brain: New Mind-Mapping Techniques, Third Edition: Tony Buzan uses more recent information about the brain to create step-by-step guides that show you how to take advantage of how your mind works to get more done.
94. Idea Mapping: How to Access Your Hidden Brain Power, Learn Faster, Remember More, and Achieve Success in Business: This book by Jamie Nast is designed to show business owners and entrepreneurs how to use mind mapping to be more successful in business and in life.
95. Mind Mapping: How to Liberate Your Natural Genius: Written by Michael Gelb, this book discusses how you can make mind maps that are uniquely yours and help you to be more productive.
96. Power Tips for Mind Mapping Software: This ebook promises to give you the information to allow you to make the most of mind mapping software. It includes chapters on strategies, interviews, case histories and even a section about asking the experts.
97. How to Select the Right Mind Mapping Software: No doubt about it, with the proliferation of software out there, choosing just one can be a challenging task. Get some advice on choosing the right software the first time around with this ebook.
98. Mind Mapping Power Pack: This ebook claims to help you to create better and more powerful mind maps.
99. Mapping the Mind: This Google book discusses the idea of the mind as “domain specific” challenging the old view that the brain processes all tasks in the same manner. Learn a little bit about how the mind is organized and you can better see how mind mapping can be a highly effective way of tapping into it.
100. Rapid Problem Solving with Post-It Notes: This book by David Straker shows how you can organize your thoughts into mind maps using only Post-It notes.

Here at Bootstrapper, we’ve previously published some pretty large lists of resources of interest to entrepreneurs and bootstrappers. But if you’re time-crunched, you probably can’t read 100 entrepreneurship sites with any regularity. With that in mind, and in no particular order, here’s our shortlist of sites that we recommend you try to read regularly. Taken as a whole, we feel that you’ll get a considerably broad view of business, entrepreneurshp, and career success.

1. Seth Godin. Seth Godin is a respected marketing guru who writes in a very accessible style - both on his blog and in his many ebooks and print books. While he’s not strictly writing for boostrapping entrepreneurs, what he can teach you will be valuable, especially to digital entrepreneurs.

2. How to Change the World. Guy Kawasaki interviews a lot of successful business people as well as imparts his own knowledge. His content is also very evergreen, so if you don’t have time to read his articles one week, you can always catch up later.

3. Entrepreneur’s Journey. Yaro Starak’s Entrepreneur’s Journey has long been an incredible resource for entrepreneurs working either offline or online. And Yaro has managed to prove that a blogger can produce a comfortable income with by working only a few hours a day. As well, he’s leveraged his successes into a number of other businesses, on and offline, including two subscription content sites.

4. Copyblogger. While you don’t need formal copywriting training, persuasive communication skills go a long way towards business success, especially if you’re a digital entrepreneur. Brian Clark’s Copyblogger shows the way, offering solid communications knowledge by example.

5. Instigator Blog. If I were forced to pick one business-related blog to read regularly, it would be Ben Yoskovitz’s Instigator Blog hands down. He might resort to lists - which some people don’t like - but his lists are meaty, full of details that impart his considerable business knowledge.

6. Startup Spark. Startup Spark was started by Ben Yoskovitz of Instigator Blog (above), but he’s passed the reins to focus on his second web startup company. It’s been in good hands with various bloggers - currently Shannon Cherry. It’s also the home of the popular blog carnival, Carnival of Entrepreneurs.

7. Bootstrap Me. Shawn Hessinger’s Bootstrap Me regularly offers insight into bootstrapping, as well as online entrepreneuring and reviews of the business segment of the blogosphere.

8. College Startup. You’re never too young to start a business, and during college is an ideal time, what with access to many young, open minds to whom you can pitch your ideas and products. College Startup is aimed at the budding College Entrepreneur.

9. Business Pundit. By all accounts, Business Pundit’s Rob has a degree in business and really gets indepth about business principles, with a mix of case studies, interviews, marketing tips and much more.

10. Blogtrepreneur. As indicated in the College Startup writeup above, you’re never too young to be interested in business. Adnan of Blogtrepreneur admits he’s still in high school, yet has built a successful blog that focuses on blog/ Internet entrepreneuring. In fact, the blog, which was an experiment in bootstrapping, is up for sale and likely to get a lot of interest.

11. AOL Small Business. The AOL Small Business website is, as the name suggests, focused on small business, but it has a wealth of articles about successful entrepreneurs of all ages, as well as case studies of startup principles.

12. BNET. The BNET site offers a wealth of business-related articles, including a library, that relate management, strategy, startup and general business principles. True, some of these articles are aimed at medium to larger businesses, but an entrepreneur who blinds themselves to future possibilities is doomed to be stuck in “small” business mode.

13. Lifehacker. The Lifehacker blog, while about productivity, tends towards tips and tricks about using software for work tasks, whether you work offline or online. It’s a must-read for picking up both software and general productivity tips.

14. Lifehack.org. Lifehack.org is the perfect complement to to Lifehacker. While there is some overlap in the two blogs, Lifehack.org tends towards general life and work productivity tips, not necessarily just about software.

15. Zen Habits. Leo Babauta, a guest on many blogs including the aforementioned Lifehack.org, has achieved an incredible success with his Zen Habits blog. Don’t let the name bother you - it’s not a religious blog. Rather, it’s a blog about simple productivity tips and achieving the appropriate habits necessary for general career success.

True, they’re not all strictly “bootstrapping” sites, but should give you a well-rounded view of business, entrepreneuring, work and life productivity necessary to succeed as a bootstrapper.

[Disclosure: I do have some sort of connection to a few of these sites and bloggers, either in terms of being a friend, colleague or contributor, though that's actually a result of my respect for the bloggers, not the other way around.]

Finding the right candiate for your job can be an uphill battle. With unqualified applicants, resume spam, and the housands of other jobs out there, it’s a miracle just to get a handful of winners to interview. You can usually increase your pool of potential candidates by posting your job on an online site like Monster or CareerBuilder, both of which are visited by thousands of employment seekers each day. But when posting on sites like these, you’re likely to run into high fees as well as unspecialized candidates. Instead of wasting time and money on those sites, check out these 50 sites that offer free, and often specialized, job postings for employers.

General

These sites have postings for nearly any job you can imagine.

1. JobAdsUSA: Get unlimited free job postings from JobAdsUSA with great features like resume alerts to let you know when you might have found the perfect match among hundreds of thousands of resumes.
2. JobFoxter: This free job database is one of the largest out there, so get your job listed and start finding applicants from anywhere in the world.
3. Free Agents Jobs: Get unlimited free posting on Free Agents Jobs as well as the ability to add your company logo and even keep tabs on interest in your postings.
4. Hire Fire: Don’t let the name fool you, this isn’t a site at all about firing. Employers can post jobs and get alerts when resumes matching certain criteria are posted.
5. Good Recruit: Make finding new employees easy with this site. You’ll get access to all resume and contact information for all potential candidates as well as the usual job posting abilities.
6. Job.Ad.Venture: Post your job listing on Job.Ad.Venture for free and get access to resumes from specialty sites focusing on programming, database professionals, healthcare, marketing, sales and more.
7. Job Spider: Post jobs for hundreds of types of positions on Job Spider. You can also browse a wide selection of resumes to see if there’s someone out there looking for a job like the one you’re offering.
8. Learn4Good: Search for employees worldwide with this job posting site and post up to 20 jobs a month absolutely free.
9. LuckyDogJobs: LuckyDogJobs is a free job posting site for everything from accounting to engineering, helping you find the people you need to keep your business up and running.
10. CareerOneStop: Gain access to resumes from job banks all over the country and post your own jobs on this Department of Labor website.
11. Jobvertise: Make the most of the largest free job and resume site by putting your job on Jobvertise. Employers can post jobs for free and gain access to almost half a million resumes of job seekers.
12. StaffingLinks: This free service can help you find the staff you need. Add your company’s website to the database and get started searching for your next employee.
13. PersonnelDesk: Set up an account on this site for free job posting and resume searching as well as links to numerous other job posting sites.
14. Job Island: Your business can use this site to post jobs, search resumes, and even set up a job RSS feed.
15. Jobs, Work, Careers.com: Your business can take advantage of not only job postings but an applicant tracking system, recruiting desktop and a corporate career site all free of charge.
16. CentralHR: Get access to job seekers wanting everything from creative positions to medical work on CentralHR. Create a profile and start posting jobs immediately, no strings attached.
17. Jobs 4 Jobs.com: Get your jobs posted on this and other major sites with no startup fees. You’ll also gain access to thousands of resumes.
18. JobsCity: JobsCity is a great network for posting jobs and finding employees. Simply submit your email and you’ll be able to set up a free account for posting jobs and browsing through resumes from all over the world.
19. TeleportJobs: Save your business money on posting jobs with free listings from TeleportJobs. You’ll have access to resumes from employees in every type of work from consulting to Web design.
20. Employment Inc: Use this site’s free job posting service to have thousands of potential employees reading your posting without spending a dime.
21. JobKabob: This sleek site makes it easy to post jobs and look through resumes all without taking out your credit card or leaving the office.
22. GadBall: Gain access to thousands of resumes and over 30,000 visitors every month with the free job posting and resume search services from GadBall.
23. Juju: If you want to post multiple jobs at once, then JuJu is probably your best bet. This job search engine specializes in bulk postings, making it faster than ever to get them up on the Internet for searching.
24. WorkGiant: While not entirely free, WorkGiant doesn’t require that employers pay any fee unless a qualified candidate is found, so there’s no risk if it doesn’t pan out out, and you’ll get access to a great service.
25. HelpWanted.com: Get your own URL for job postings on HelpWanted.com to direct potential employees right to your company.
26. CareerPark: CareerPark offers employers free job postings and resume searches among some of the big names in business like BlueCross, Random House, and Sylvania.
27. JobsGala: Sign up with JobsGala to get free 30-day job postings and resumes sent right to your account.

Tech Job Sites

If you’re in need of some tech-savvy help, give these sites a look.

28. Telecommuting Techies: Get a remotely located developer, programmer or consultant with this free posting forum so you can get the know-how you need without the extra overhead.
29. devBistro: Find developers galore on this job posting site. The site boasts over 280,000 visitors each month, giving you a great chance of finding the talent you need to get the job done.
30. HWG-Jobs: If you’re looking for someone to maintain, design, develop or program a website for you, then HWG-Jobs can be a great place to start looking. Simply send an email to the site moderators and it will be posted to the site free of charge.
31. AgaveBlue: Get all the IT help you need with free postings on this site. You’ll get access to resumes from freelancers and those looking for full time work.

Freelance and Work at Home

Expand your workforce without expanding your office by using these sites specializing in freelance and work at home jobs.

32. Telecommute Jobs.com: Need some extra help but don’t have room around the office for another employee? Find a telecommuter to add to your staff with free job postings on Telecommute Jobs.com.
33. GoFreelance: Need a freelancer for a specific project? Check out this freelance job posting site and list your job to get quotes from qualified applicants.
34. Freelance JobsPost: Finding a freelancer has never been easier with this site. Simply post what kind of work you need done and the details of your project, and you’ll get responses and competitive bids from freelancers.
35. Work at Home Jobs: Outsource your office work to an at-home employee with this site. It offers free postings for jobs as well as articles and links to help you learn more about telecommuting.
36. JobVita: Join this site to get up to 10 free job postings per month as well as access to unlimited resume searches. It’s designed especially for small businesses and work at home opportunities, so if that’s what you’re looking for, it can be a great free resource to take advantage of.
37. SimpleLance: Add your job to the postings on this freelancing forum and find the professionals you need for web development, programming, marketing and graphic design.

Classifieds

Take the traditional route into the 21st century with these online classified sites.

38. Today’s Classifieds: Employers can get free job postings on Today’s Classifieds, which specializes in telecommuting and programming jobs, but will accept other types of job postings as well.
39. Craigslist: Millions of users nation and world wide check this site daily, so get your job out there by posting it on Craigslist. Best of all, in most areas it won’t cost you a thing.
40. Freeified: This easy-to-use classifieds site makes it simple to post job openings for your company no matter what state you live in.
41. WebCosmo: Take advantage of the free classified ads offered by this site to post the open positions at your business.
42. PostMeUp: Post a free job ad in almost any American city using this new classifieds service.
43. USAGetJobs.com: Post jobs in a wide variety of fields with this simple classifieds site.

Specialty Sites

These sites cater to specific fields or job pools to help you find the employees you’re looking for.

44. BestJobsUSA: Those looking for some new HR recruits will find free postings for human resources jobs on this site. It also contains information for finding recruiting associations, trade shows, HR sites and numerous other resources.
45. The Job Box: If you’re searching for some help with entry-level positions for fresh college grads then Job Box can be a great place to put a free job listing. You’ll be among big name employers like FedEx, Home Depot and Farmers Insurance.
46. USAJobs Inc: This non-profit organization helps match employers with the right employees. Submit your job to gain access to their database of professionals, graduate students, and ex-military looking for employment.
47. GetJobs.com: Do you want to find student employees for internships or hourly work? Then GetJobs.com can help you, with free posting and resume searches through college and graduate applicants.
48. HirePatriots: Want to support your veterans? Try posting a job on this site to attract applicants with military expertise.
49. CEOTrak: Looking for some upper management or even an executive to add to your team? Try posting your opening on this site to dig up the best execs out there.
50. A Career in Sales.com: Find a new top salesperson with this site dedicated exclusively to matching up those in sales with available jobs. They have features that allow you to include graphics and even screen potential employees.