We asked you to send us stories about how you pass time while waiting for your doctor, and many of you took up the challenge. From exercising to rearranging magazines to learning Spanish, it’s obvious that idle minds will play with whatever they can.

Thanks for sending so many great entries. Here are a few of the best.

Winner

For Kate B., visiting the doctor is a time for recharging her batteries:

"The span between the moment I sit down in the waiting room and the second I hear my name called is golden time. As a former health teacher, I think about all the stress management skills I've taught my students over the years -- and then, one by one, I put them into practice. Deep breathing, progressive muscular relaxation, and autogenic training are a few painless strategies I use. Miraculously, I never seem to be in that waiting room for long, but the best part is how relaxed I am when I finally get face to face with my doctor -- and my low blood pressure is proof!"

As always, we received plenty of response. This was by far our most popular contest yet. Here are some entries we liked best.

Exercise was the most common theme among submissions this month. Apparently, many of you use the time wisely.

One reader wrote:

"I exercise using the little stool to get up on the exam table. I do step ups, step downs, and side steps. Last time was such a lengthy wait, my calves were so sore the next day I could barely manage to walk."

Another wrote:

"I think a great way to pass time while waiting at my doctor’s office would be to get in a great 10 minute abs workout. This could include some crunches and leg lifts from the exam table."

Finally, one reader saw humor in exercising at the doctor’s office:

"Best of all, if exercise gives you a heart attack, you couldn't be in a better place!"

Waiting for the doctor gives you (or your kids) time to get a game or two in:

"Consider bringing along one of the many handheld entertainment devices available today. Especially if you have kids, you'll want to bring along their Gameboy and PSP games."

It’s certainly useful for keeping your brain sharp:

"I try to learn the Spanish on the walls underneath the English for the different symptoms and scales. Once the doctor comes in I have usually learned all of the phrases and medical terms on the wall and can recite them to my friends."

If all else fails, you can read past predictions about "the future":

"Since the magazines are so old, I search out the old business magazines such as Fortune or BusinessWeek. I then look for their predictions on the economy, which companies will succeed, or what are the hot new products. Almost uniformly they are way wrong. It makes me realize that no one, even the ‘experts,’ has a clue as to what will happen to the economy."

Thanks for your submissions. Good luck on our next contest, The Best Halloween Costume!