Give yourself a break

If you're the type who has to peel yourself off your chair at quitting time, you might want to take this well-intentioned ergonomic helper for a spin. Workplace Angel is the apple a day that may help keep the repetitive-stress away. On-screen reminders pop up at set intervals, gently nudging you to take short or long breaks and suggesting stretches to relieve mounting tension. You can keep time with an animated 3D helper who demonstrates the proper execution of exercises.

Workplace Angel is a decent-looking program that requires some foresight (you are prompted to select reminder times before that function is fully understood), and you have to be on your toes to catch the stretch session and read the accompanying inspirational quote before the notification message blinks away. The Help section is also a tad sparse, and the program features could use some fleshing out. But patience is also a virtue, and this app is all about relieving stress.