You have the best of intentions. You know you've been too intense at work. And you're really disliking your job more and more each day. You promise yourself to keep a better focus on what's really important in life. But so far you haven't kept your promise to yourself.

Or maybe it's the upkeep of the house. You try to keep a clean living environment. But after working and spending time with friends, there's no energy left to pick up the clutter and get rid of the dirt. After all, the clutter and dirt will just come back. So you're left with a feeling of discouragement and frustration.

Or it's the work you do for the kids. Boy, do they take a lot of work. Keeping the baby fed, clean, and happy takes all your time. And then there are the older kids. Soccer practice. Piano lessons. Church youth group. There's just no time to do it all. You're racing through life like little more than a robot. How can you reclaim your humanity?

Life gets to all of us from time to time. It seems to be the price we pay for an increasingly complex world, a world where the Internet has opened up so many choices to us, that we can feel overwhelmed with making decisions.

Fortunately, despite any complexity the Internet has added to our lives, it also has made it easier to insert some little pauses into the day to make life a little more bearable. I call these little pauses micro-breaks. And they can be a great way to step off the fast-track for just a moment to relax a bit and refocus on the things that are important.

Micro-breaks come in all shapes and sizes.

One type of micro-break that many people find helpful is a thought for the day -- a profound, noteworthy, or entertaining saying. The Internet has all kinds of sources for a thought for the day. Just do a search on any of the major search engines, and you'll find how many possibilities there are to choose from.

What kind of thought for the day works best? That depends on your personality.

If you tend to get caught up in the details of life, then you might do best with sayings that focus on more profound statements of life and existence.

If you are inspired by quotes that have stood the test of time, sites that focus on the sayings of famous people might provide the most benefit to you.

If you find yourself taking life too seriously too often, sayings that can make you smile or chuckle would suit your style well.

The most important thing is to find a source of micro-breaks that you find inspiring or relaxing. These will give you the most energizing pauses in your day.

Of course, there is no reason you can't make use of more than one type micro-break.

So, fire up your browser, visit your favorite search engine, and find yourself some places where you can get your thought for the day. Then, either sign up to receive your daily thought in your email, or make a habit of visiting the places you like best for a quick micro-break. Soon you'll be headed in the right direction to maintain a balanced life.