The CAT (Common Admission Test) is just three months away. It is a stressful time for many working professionals aiming to score high percentile in the CAT exam. It is not easy to handle deadlines and meetings while secretly preparing for CAT. You act busy at your office desk while thinking about CAT puzzles. Your boss nods, and you smile as you work through a train puzzle in your head. Many professionals quit their jobs to prioritise CAT preparation. But honestly, leaving your paycheck for the unknown is more terrifying than a 20-question LRDI set with zero hints. So, what is the solution to this? Simple. Keep your boss clueless, focus on CAT prep, and survive the next three months without getting caught. It may sound impossible, but it can be fun. Here is the humorous guide on how working professionals can fool their bosses and prepare for CAT effectively.
Join this free whatsapp group to get the latest information about CAT exam along with the strategies by CAT experts
How Working Professionals Can Fool Their Bosses and Prepare for CAT?
Preparing for the CAT exam while working is not easy. Many working professionals wonder how to prepare without informing their bosses. As we know, it is quite difficult to quit your job or ask for long leaves. But what if you can prepare during office hours? Smart planning can help you keep your boss happy while focusing on CAT preparation. You can maximise every minute by acting busy and making the most of small breaks. Learn here the best strategies to trick your boss while acing the CAT preparation.
How Can You Fool Your Boss and Prepare for CAT
Managing work and CAT prep can be tough. But there are clever ways to “fool” your boss and utilise time efficiently. Here are the tips on how working professionals can fool their bosses and prepare for CAT with ease.
Look Busy at Work
The first trick is to act busy. Managers appreciate active employees. Therefore, keep one tab for work and another for your CAT prep. Type fast and move your mouse to appear busy. For example, if asked why a task is pending, reply with, “I was handling multiple priorities.” Your CAT puzzles remain your little secret.
Use Meetings Wisely
Meetings are perfect solutions to handle CAT preparation. Keep your CAT prep PDF on one half of the screen and work files on the other. Smile, nod, and type sometimes to show you are doing serious work. You can act like listening to colleagues while secretly solving challenging CAT questions in your head.
Extended Lunch Breaks
You can consider lunch breaks as mini study sessions for CAT. You can go to any cafe, park, or any other place during your break. Thereafter, open your CAT materials and keep an Excel sheet open for cover. This allows you to prepare for the CAT at work without anyone noticing. Half-eaten sandwiches and half-solved CAT questions are an expert-level multitasking.
Perfect Excuses
A perfect explanation is sometimes necessary for pending work or delayed reports. Your boss will consider you a hardworking star, but you are secretly a CAT ninja. Here are some excuses to trick your manager while focusing on CAT preparation:
- Optimising workflow = CAT preparation
- Attending client call = mock interview
- Fixing system issues = Probability problems
Use Your Commute
Using your commute can make your CAT preparation more productive. Listen to the CAT strategy podcasts, or you can solve short puzzles mentally while travelling to work. You can work through problems in your head but stay alert. Being stuck in traffic can quietly boost your CAT practice time.
Weekend Preparation
Weekends offer the perfect chance for focused CAT preparation. You can dedicate 4 to 6 hours to practice mocks and essay writing. After completing your task, reward yourself with a small cake, Netflix, or a small break.
Mock Tests Matter
Mock tests are crucial for your CAT exam preparation. You must use a strategy that suits your schedule. Attempt mocks wisely in the office. Pretend like you are working on the assigned tasks. Dual screens are a one-stop solution. It can be used one for work and another for CAT preparation without anyone noticing.
Keep Your Boss Happy
Staying in your boss’s good books is essential when you are quietly preparing for CAT. You can reply to the emails on time, achieve little wins at regular intervals, and sometimes stay back. This can create a positive impression while secretly studying for the CAT exam.
Focus on the Three-Month Plan
Plan your strategy wisely to excel in the CAT exam. You can focus on the following areas during the preparation:
- Month 1: Grasp all the concepts and improve weak areas.
- Month 2: Attempt mock tests that match the CAT standards and level.
- Month 3: You must focus more on improving speed, accuracy, and rectifying errors.
How Working Professionals Can Fool Their Bosses and Prepare for CAT – Working Professionals’ Opinion
iQuanta has many employees who are preparing for CAT and they have shared how can they fool their managers and prepare for the same in office! Here is what they have shared.
Anushka
Preparing for CAT while working full-time is like being a secret agent! Your boss thinks you’re busy with reports, but you’re actually solving math problems hidden behind that Excel sheet. You switch quickly between tabs when someone walks by and pretend to listen carefully in meetings while reading a tricky reading comprehension on your phone. Those coffee breaks? Perfect cover to practice some logic puzzles. And when you nod seriously in calls, you’re really just hoping no one notices you’re thinking about CAT, not the client! Sometimes you even use “network issues” as an excuse to sneak in a quick mock test. Your desk becomes your mini CAT prep zone, disguised cleverly between post-it notes and office files. You perfect the art of looking deeply thoughtful, while your mind races through DI sets and vocabulary words.It’s all about being sneaky and smart-after all, crushing CAT and office work both need some ninja-level multitasking. These are the tried and tested tricks, hope it gives you an idea for chasing the way for a top B school.
Varun
Honestly, first, you have to show the visibility that you are actually working. More importantly, limit your communication with seniors. This way, people will think you are working and no one will give you new responsibilities. Second, try to go VARC prep, or Quant prep. So, at any random moment, you can have an excuse or chance tabs instantly. LRDI is hard since it take time to solve. Next, if your manager finds about it. Then, show your commitment that you are preparing for next year and this will delay their decision or any active reaction. Remember, “The smart fool always outsmarts the smart scholar in the corporate”.
Aditya
To make it look like you’re working hard at your job when you’re actually studying, you just need to master a few simple tricks. Make sure you’re always typing, even if you’re just typing out your study notes into a blank document. Always try to look serious and focused, as if you’re solving a huge problem. Get very good at quickly switching your computer screen from your study material back to a work spreadsheet the moment you see someone approaching. Wearing big headphones is a great way to signal to others that you shouldn’t be disturbed, which lets you listen to class lectures. The best trick of all is to write a few work emails during the day and schedule them to be sent automatically late at night. That way, your boss thinks you’re working extra hours, even when you’re actually at home asleep.
Case Study: How Working Professionals Secretly Prepare for CAT
Managing CAT prep and office work is challenging for working professionals. Get the real-world strategies for CAT preparation below.
The Spreadsheet Strategy
Riya is a finance analyst who never closes her spreadsheet. She pretends to review company data while secretly practising CAT questions. “My boss thinks I am productive, but I am actually solving logic puzzles”, she laughs.
The Meeting Trick
Anuj is a project manager who fills his calendar with fake meetings and appointments. He uses those 30-45 minute slots as secret time for CAT preparation. “I am just working through my priorities, in case anyone questions,” he adds.
Dual Monitor Benefit
Anjali is a software engineer who uses two monitors. She uses one for work emails and another for CAT preparation. “I appear hard working to my boss, while secretly advancing my CAT prep,” she explains.
iQuanta CAT Course 2025
