Blog Posts by Marie Claire

Get all that happiness just by leaving an hour early.BUILDING ON YEARS of research into the science of play, a new group of experts and consultants is making the case that a healthy dose of fun pays dividends at work. In fact, adult play - long seen as a slacker indulgence for anyone over the age of 30 - is now considered essential to workplace productivity, with companies across the country hiring "play consultants" and instituting mandatory happy hours. Even Facebook's all-night "hackathons" are a way to keep employees active and engaged. "Play isn't the opposite of work," says Dr. Stuart Brown, who in 2007 founded The National Institute of Play - a Carmel Valley, California-based nonprofit - to promote the idea of lifelong merrymaking. "They're mutually supportive. Neither can thrive without the other." We dug up the studies and polled the experts to provide the four best ways play can help you professionally.

1 PLAY PROVIDES SUPER-FOCUS.

Researchers have long since proven that for schoolkids, recess is essential for

From the Fierce Five to Kimye, we've rounded up our favorite celebrity Halloween costumes that are easy to recreate and will leave everyone laughing.

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9 Signs That He's Cheating

She's sitting pretty at her desk.DIABETES RISK

Stressful job environments can raise women's risk of heart attack by 88 percent, but those who sit all day also have a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes, according to researchers at the University of Leicester Departments of Health Sciences and Cardiovascular Sciences.

Prevention: To keep your blood pumping, take a quick break once an hour to walk to the elevator or watercooler.

Solution: A study in England tested sedentary workers' caloric burn by placing small pedal machines under their desks for four weeks, and found using the machine for about 23 minutes a day helped. Try the Aerobic Pedal Exerciser, sold on amazon.com.

MISALIGNED HIPS

A female's wider hip sockets put more pressure on hips, knees, and the spine, which can lead to weakness, tendinitis, and more.

Prevention: Adjust your chair's settings so that the angle between your back and legs is 90 degrees or less, allowing better rotation for your hip flexors.

Solution:

From I Love Lucy's namestake to Girls' Hannah, we compiled the gutsiest, hardest working, and stereotype-defying ladies throughout the big screen.

You'll never be at a loss for words with our tips for sticky workplace situations!You're confronted by a colleague you've been gossiping about.
How's this for uncomfortable: A coworker sits down in front of your desk and says, "Is it true you called me incompetent?" You could deny, backtrack, fudge. But you did say it - and you meant it. The best course is to own it, advises Randy Cohen, the original "Ethicist" for The New York TimesMagazine and author of the recently published Be Good: How to Navigate the Ethics of Everything. Tell her why you said it, as constructively as possible. "You say, 'There are all kinds of ways in which you're not doing your job well. You might have done this and this,'" Cohen advises. It may be the most awkward five minutes of your career - and don't expect any happy-hour invitations from your aggrieved officemate - but Cohen says it's OK to express an honest opinion behind your coworker's back, as long as you didn't spread lies or betray a confidence. So what of the snitch? "The colleague who gave you up," says Cohen, "is just a

Perfect pedicure color!STEP 1. PREP WORK

First things first - pretty toes are hair-free. Depilatories are a faster, longer-lasting, and painless alternative to tweezing or waxing. Next, soften tough heels in a mineral sea salt soak. "In a pinch, liquid dish soap also removes dirt and makes cuticles more pliable," says Ferri. Pat one foot dry - letting the other soak longer - and slough away calluses with an emery board or pumice stone. "Don't use anything more abrasive, like a metal tool," warns Weingarten, "and avoid infection by not exfoliating any blisters, corns, or bunions." Soak the scrubbed foot in a clean bath while working on the other and dab a cotton ball soaked with hydrogen peroxide on any blisters after feet have been washed.

MC Recommends: Revlon Pedi-Expert Shower Kit, $9.99.

5 Secrets of the Highest-Paid Women

STEP 2. TAKING SHAPE

On dry feet, apply cuticle oil to the base of the nail - Ferri swears by olive oil as a substitute - and push back cuticles with an orangewood stick. "Only cut

Elizabeth Warren is bound to make an impact on female voters.

SHOCKING BUT TRUE: Women make up 16.8 percent of U.S. Congress. Even Sudan and Afghanistan have more female representation. But this year, a historic number of women want to change that. A record 298 filed to run for the House and 36 for the Senate. MC has the scoop on 11 lady pols to watch this fall-a double-amputee war hero, a Rhodes scholar, a gun-toting former police chief, and more. Raging liberal? Devout Tea Partyer? There's a new political hero here for everyone.

ELIZABETH WARREN, 63 (Pictured)

D-MASSACHUSETTS
U.S. SENATE
PERSONAL STORY: After her dad's heart attack when she was 12, Warren's parents struggled to pay their bills, inspiring her professional focus on the trials of working-class families. Married, two adult kids.
RÉSUMÉ HIGHLIGHTS: Harvard law prof for 20 years; chair of congressional committee investigating bank bailout; led creation of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Dubbed "Sheriff of Wall Street."
TOP ISSUES: Jobs, the economy,

Let's face it: Lustrous hair can take a lot of upkeep. Even if your stylist doesn't make house calls, fear not. "You can give your hair the TLC it needs to look its best by using items you have at home," notes Lorri Goddard Clark for the Privé Salon in Los Angeles, whose clients include Reese Witherspoon. Here, she dishes on her tried-and-true recipes for getting - and maintaining - healthy hair. Now that's a deep condition.

9 Signs That He's Cheating

1. Feed Your Head

"You can't have full, bouncy hair without a healthy scalp," says Goddard-Clark. To reduce excess oil, dampen a cotton ball with witch hazel, dab it along your hairline and part, and rinse hair with cool water. Fight flakes weekly by adding five drops of tea-tree oil to your favorite shampoo as a booster. Skip conditioner, though, and apply a detangler only to the ends of your hair - your scalp may be sensitive after this treatment.

MC Tip: Before any type of scalp treatment, check for burns from hot tools that could be easily irritated.

How