More ways to pick yourself up

13. Jump-start your energy
"Whenever I start to slump, I get out of it with a quick hit of heart-pumping exercise like a sprint outside to the mailbox," says exercise physiologist and personal trainer Kelli Calabrese of Long Valley, New Jersey, mom of Nicholas and Melina, 4 and 3. If you're yawning at midday, take two minutes to go up and down a flight of stairs. No stairs? Walk around the block or your office building. Such short bursts burn calories, enhance your mental clarity, and help you relax.

14. Benefit from blooms
Feeling frazzled? Treat yourself to flowers. Researchers at Kansas State University discovered that flowers actually work as a pain reliever; they think that the bright colors may stimulate our brains to produce serotonin and other good-mood hormones. Flowery fragrances are also thought to chase away the blues.

15. Act happy
...even if you have to fake it. "When I'm crabby, I make a point of being nice to someone I don't know  -- the supermarket cashier, say  -- and I always feel better," says Trudy Miller. Optimists are less likely to die from heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular problems than pessimists, say Dutch researchers, who speculate that a sunny disposition helps protect the immune system.

16. Refocus on food
Don't think in terms of "bad" food, or depriving yourself. New York City nutritionist Elisa Zied, a mom of two, has a more positive approach: "If I'm thinking about chocolate, I run a mental check on what I haven't had yet. If it's fruit, veggies, or something whole grain, I'll go for that first, and I may still have room for the less nutritious candy."

17. Dump out your purse
You may still have 50 zillion things to do, but less junk to sift through lifts a mental load  -- and your aching shoulders will thank you.

18. Turn your car into a bookmobile
Rebecca Jaffe, a doctor and a mom of two, Joshua, 10, and Rachel, 8, in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, listens to books on tape during her daily commute. "It makes my car seem like a retreat," says Jaffe. She also listens to books on tape with her children as a way of unwinding together.

19. Stretch it out
"When my two-year-old daughter is occupied, I grab a few minutes for this move," says Janice Gates, a yoga instructor in San Anselmo, California:

• Lie on your back with your legs up against a wall, so your body's in an L shape.
• Close your eyes and take slow, deep breaths.
• Try to maintain the pose for 5 to 15 minutes to ease muscle tension and replenish energy.

Marianne McGinnis lives in San Diego and writes about health and fitness.

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