Destress All Day Long

Why wait until yoga class -- or nap time -- to destress when you can do it all day and save a ton of wear and tear on your body? Here's how to be one cool cat all day long:

• At the coffee shop: When everything's taking 20 times longer than it should (like the person who takes 5 minutes to decide whether they want a Tall or Grande), use the time to chill out. Tense the muscles in your feet, and then relax them. Move up to your calves, and then continue to work your way up; this helps nix the physical stress that's stored in your body. Very helpful at the mall, too.


• At your desk: Map your day. Organize your tasks, and avoid leaving your day to total chance. Don't work off your inbox; working from your plan for the day helps you avoid stress and get the important things done.


• When it hits the fan: Put your finger on your belly button and inhale slowly, so your finger moves outward. Repeat a few times. Deep breathing helps modify the messages ("Rally the stress hormones -- got a lot going on here!") your body sends to your brain, preventing stress from doing its dirty work and aging you.


• On your commute: Sniff an orange. Or get a whiff of some basil, a rose, a mango, some grapes, or a lemon -- they all contain a compound called linalool whose scent helps induce calm.


• At home: Get busy. A study showed that between-the-sheets action helped people experience less stress during a next-day presentation. No presentation? Well, no harm in being prepared for one, just in case.