Let's say your day at work has been crazy busy. You've been staring at the monitor unblinkingly, hammering away at your assignments, trying to ward off interruption after interruption and, being the good worker bee (or drone) you are, even skipping lunch. You glance at the clock and it tells you the day is far from over. What do you do to relieve the stress in fifteen minutes or less? I have a suggestion based on fresh-from-the-oven experience.

[Printing the following instructions is advisable.]

Slide your chair away from the desk. If you have a wireless phone, put it in a drawer. Any drawer. It doesn't matter. If you don't have a phone and feel left out, a banana (or any other handy fruit) makes a fine substitute.

Get up from your chair and walk out of the building. How stealthily you escape is up to you. The idea is to be nonchalant and, no, your Harry Potter invisibility cloak probably won't work. Unnoticed, you're now outside and making your way to your car.

If you don't have a car or didn't drive one today, then a bicycle or horse will do. Walking also works, but remember you only have thirteen minutes or so remaining, depending on how fast you read.

Before you start your car/bicycle/horse, I should tell you where you're going. You’re making a beeline for Starbucks or any suitable coffee equivalent. So insert the key in the ignition, raise the kickstand and give your steed a giddy up. Be sure to switch the radio to a relaxing classical station. Please don't try turning dials on the horse, you will only succeed in pissing it off.

[Stop here! Put this paper down, buckle up and pay attention to the road. When you've reached your destination and have gotten in line, please resume reading.]

Okay, you've reached your destination, politely waited in line and are ready to order with nine minutes left. Request a medium (grande to the Starbucks crowd) peppermint mocha, pay for it and while you wait, take a moment to enjoy the view. If there isn't a view, then appreciate the artwork. If there's no artwork, then admire the pretty people, but don't stare at them (or get caught staring), that's rude and a tad creepy.

Once you have your drink, thank the barista, but don't run off yet. Take your time and savor the first few sips. A peppermint mocha is like Christmas in a cup. So, focus on visions of sugarplums or other pleasant memories. Are you focusing? Good. Sit with them for a minute. Take another sip and let the stress slip away. Do you feel more relaxed? Nice. Now snap out of it! You only have four minutes to get back to work.

Don't worry. You can bring the mocha with you. After you park your trusty steed, calmly make your way back to your desk. If you want, check the messages on your banana before tackling the rest of the workday. Good luck, enjoy your mocha and be thankful that tomorrow is Friday.