SINGAPORE, Aug 11 — So the weekend and National Day holiday are over. You are now back stuck at work and chained to the desk, unable to go Pokemon hunting.

To make things worse, your boss completely catches no Pokeball — and will be none too pleased to see you indulging in your new hobby while on the job.

What’s a self-respecting Pokemon Trainer to do?

Here are some ways to cope with Pokemon No-Go-isitis in the office.

1. Take more toilet breaks

It has been scientifically proven that cooping up at your desk all day does little to boost productivity, so why not give yourself a good five to 10 minute Pokemon chaser break?

Keep walking to the printer; volunteer to run errands or collect the mail to cover some distance to help hatch your Pokemon eggs — we know these forays don’t add up to much but hey, better than nothing right? Better yet, feign an upset tummy to justify why you keep going to the washroom.

Nobody has to know it is because Snorlax refuses to budge.

2. No more in-office lunches

Lunching out of the office would make for excellent Pokemon Go time.

You might not only discover new and exciting lunch places to hit up, it is endlessly amusing when seeing a Charmander heat up your meals at a salad bar or a Pikachu next to a sushi chef.

Lunch hours are also often the busiest (and most active) times for Lures, so get to a-catchin’ while getting a bite.

3. Use your computer trackpad as practice.

Because you are really addicted and cannot help your fingers from firing those Pokethrows, may we suggest you use your laptop’s trackpad as a relief for the itch?

Of course, you won’t get bonus experience points from it, it but your boss might think that obsessive laptop action is just you being hard at work. And that can never be a bad thing, right?

4. Just play it but say it’s for research.

You might just get away with it if you cite that it is for research. Most businesses are still coming to terms on how to best ride on Poke mania, and what better way to understand it than by playing it?

In fact, places like Ion Orchard, City Square Mall and Resorts World Sentosa have been releasing Pokemon lures to get the crowd.

Your boss might come away being impressed at your initiative. But pointing your phone at your boss can be pretty awkward while claiming research might be awkward so make sure you keep a straight face when explaining this rationale. 

Good luck and stay hired, fellow trainers.

After all, who else is going to pay for those Pokecoins? — TODAY