By Barbara Corcoran, REDBOOK

Q:"Everyone at my office gets in around 9 a.m., but because I drop my kids off at school, I usually come in at 9:30. I stay late, but I recently overheard a coworker making a nasty comment. What should I do?"

Related: 26 Organizing Tips That Actually Work

A: The only two people who count here are you and your boss, and if the hours you keep are all right with her, then it's nobody else's business. If your boss hasn't explicitly approved your schedule, however, make an appointment to address it with her immediately. A clear endorsement from her will make you feel more sure of your footing and less threatened by snide remarks from your coworkers.

Related: Win a Trip for Two to the Virgin Islands

As for your nasty associate, you can confront her in one of two ways. Feeling courageous? Pull her aside, nicely let her know your hours are sanctioned by your boss, and politely ask her to refrain from putting her two cents in. If the

Read More »from Free Career Advice: "My Coworkers Make Catty Comments About My Hours!"

By Patricia Sellers, FORTUNE

In every successful career there is a moment: You could quit. But you resist, wisely.

For Andrea Jung, the chairman and CEO of Avon Products (AVP), this moment happened right after college, when she was in the management training program at Bloomingdale's. All day everyday, there she was in the stockroom, switching vendor hangers for store hangers on thousands of pieces of clothes. "I remember calling my parents around Thanksgiving and saying, 'You paid for me to have a great education and this is really not that meaningful…Maybe I will quit.'"

Jung, who grew up in a traditional Chinese-American family with a tremendous amount of discipline, had made her way to Princeton and wanted to go into the Peace Corps. But her parents didn't have a lot of money, so they insisted she take a more conventional path. When Jung called them about quitting that first job at Bloomingdale's, "the reaction was fast and furious," she recalls. Her parents told her: "You Read More »from Keys to success from Avon's top boss

By Katie Hintz, DETAILS

Sitting at your desk can screw up your body in many ways-and slouching in your chair sure doesn't help. Here's how to spare yourself some on-the-job stress.

• Your eyes should take a break from the computer screen at least three times an hour in order to maintain moisture and rest their muscles.

• Your shoulders should be relaxed and aligned with your hips. Instead of leaning across your desk when you need the stapler, keep frequently used tools within arm's reach. And your computer screen should be 20 inches from your face. "When the screen is too far away, people stick their neck out and round their shoulders," says Alana Reed, a Manhattan Pilates instructor.

See also: The Ultimate Weights-Free Workout

• Your back should be flat against your seat, but your spine should retain its natural curve, not be stiff and straight. If your chair doesn't support your lower back, use a small pillow to do the job.

• Your wrists should line up with your forearms and Read More »from How To Avoid the Office Strain

Photographed by Ben HoffmannIf you ask my husband my best trait, he'll smile and say, "She never gives up." But if you ask him my worst trait, he'll get a funny tic in his cheek, narrow his eyes and hiss, "She. Never. Gives. Up."

More from MORE: Three More Women Who Never Gave Up

It took me a year and a half to write my earliest version of The Help. I'd told most of my friends and family what I was working on. Why not? We are compelled to talk about our passions. When I'd polished my story, I announced it was done and mailed it to a literary agent.

More from MORE: The Woman Who Inspired 'The Help's' Feisty, Pie-Baking Maid, Minny

Six weeks later, I received a rejection letter from the agent, stating, "Story did not sustain my interest." I was thrilled! I called my friends and told them I'd gotten my first rejection! Right away, I went back to editing. I was sure I could make the story tenser, more riveting, better.

More from MORE: Kris Jenner on Creating The Kardashians

A few months

Read More »from Kathryn Stockett's 'The Help' Turned Down 60 Times Before Becoming a Best Seller

By Jennifer Conrad

career adviceWant to wow potential employers in this sluggish economy? You probably have more going for you than you think-but it's all about presenting yourself the right way. Whether you're casually browsing for new opportunities or actively seeking a job, experts say certain strategies can increase your chances of landing a great job. If you want to write irresistible cover letters, emphasize accomplishments on your resume and ace interviews, start by asking yourself these questions. Photo credit: Thinkstock

1. Who do I know and who do I need to know?
"It's really important to be strategic," says certified executive coach and self-promotion expert Bonnie Marcus. She suggests figuring out who you know at companies where you want to work. This might include friends and old colleagues-or even your boss if you're angling for an internal promotion. Even if the people you know aren't in a position to hire you, they can help open doors. Ultimately, you want to find the

Read More »from 8 Questions Job Seekers Should Ask Themselves

By Abigail L. Cuffey

According to the National Sleep Foundation, 34 percent of people are allowed to take naps during work breaks (16 percent even said their companies provide a spot for the snooze). Unfortunately, not all of us have that luxury, so the next time 4 pm rolls around and an extra dose of caffeine won't cut it, try one of these reenergizing tricks instead.

1. Do chair twists. Stretching increases blood flow to muscles and helps you feel more alert, says Leigh Crews, certified trainer and spokeswoman for the American Council on Exercise. To do this at your desk: Sit up straight, lengthen your spine, twist to the left and hold on to the back of your chair for 10 seconds before switching sides.

Watch this video to learn four easy exercise moves you can do using a chair.

2. Pick peppermint. Chew a stick of gum, eat a hard candy or sip some tea. The scent is invigorating and provides an instant boost, says Aimee Raupp, MS , licensed acupuncturist and

Read More »from How to Stay Alert at Work

Whether a time of unemployment is sudden or expected, it's an emotionally challenging time that, without conscious efforts, can propel even the most stable job-seeker into a deep depression or even a self-destructive spiral. While there's no way to entirely avoid the ups and downs of being in between jobs, the key to staying positive and productive until you find new employment is in small daily efforts. The following small, regular gestures can help you to feel accomplished, stable, and more in control of your destiny-all essential for getting through a tough time.

1. Diversify your tactics for finding employment.
There's more to finding a job that responding to Craigslist job postings. Along with combing job boards, you should network with personal and professional contacts to let them know you're looking, remind them of your skills, and ask whether they have any leads for you. Also, consider broadening your search to professions that are outside of your norm, but leverage similar

Read More »from How to stay positive and productive while unemployed

By Patricia Sellers, Fortune

The McDonald's (MCD) boss behind the healthy upgrade to its U.S. menu is practicing what she preaches: She recently lost 90 pounds.

Jan Fields, who started at McDonald's 33 years ago cooking fries and is now the fast food chain's U.S. president, was soon to turn 55 when, she says, "I woke up one day and said, "Oh my God, how did I gain this much weight?"

Like millions of her customers at the 14,000 restaurants she oversees, Fields added her weight gradually--"10 pounds at a time: 10, 10, 10 and all of a sudden, I looked and I said, 'Oh, my God, I've gained 90 pounds. How did I ever do that?"

Related: The woman behind the McDonald's hiring blitz

Of course, McDonald's tops critics' hit list for compounding America's obesity epidemic, but Fields insists that her own culprit wasn't food but lack of exercise. "I didn't exercise," she confesses. "I worked all the time, went home and went to bed."

Fields, No. 25 on Fortune's Most

Read More »from McDonald's boss takes health crusade personally