according to Dr Spencer Johnson (author of highly acclaimed change management book "Who Moved My Cheese?"), if you want to improve your chaotic life or to dramatically improve your relationships with others, you need to take these "One Minute For Myself" breaks - short 60-second blocks of "stop-check-reflect" moments and to ask yourself this question "Is there a way, right now, for me to take better care of myself?"..

while this might sound rather ego-centric, especially to most of us who come from Asian backgrounds where we are constantly told to "put others before ourselves" or to "be considerate to others", this simple statement actually makes a lot of sense...

In one minute I can change my attitude And in that minute I can change my entire day.

When I take good care of myself I feel less angry – toward myself and others.

And when I am Happier I work better and I treat others better.

it's an advice i try to heed nowadays whenever i get frustrated and overwhelmed, especially at work... it works... sometimes, it might just mean popping out to get a cold coffee or to rest a tired mind... but in the longer run, i find myself more effective than if i continue to just do and do, getting more and more frustrated and tired out every minute.

Life is lived minute by minute. Those who know this live best.