This Is How Busy People Can Still Make Time for Prayer in Their Everyday Lives

It can be challenging to stay spiritually strong in today's fast-paced society, especially with our constant need to be connected through technology as well as our “culture of waste” and “culture of the moment” as noted by Pope Francis himself. There are, however, several ways to focus on faith.

How the busiest person can also be spiritual

The demands of today’s work need not be a hindrance to having a life of prayer. In fact, to work is a calling for every person. Father Aris Sison of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral of Cubao shares how we can keep the faith despite our busy schedules. “It’s important to keep in mind that faith should be a part of life. It is not something we do once a week, but it should be very much a part of our life.”

My schedule is full, there’s hardly any time for prayer.

Then turn your work into prayer. Father Aris says, “Our religious life should be able to permeate every aspect of our daily life.”

This means that work need not be a hindrance to prayer, but one that enables it.

For example, before your day starts, you can offer your work as a prayer. This way, your industriousness becomes spiritual. This also becomes a way for you pray the entire day, furthering your petitions. 

What else should I do?

Take small breaks from work. Although you can turn your work into a form of prayer, you must also take small breaks. Say a brief 30-second prayer during these breaks. These short prayers throughout the day are ways to connect with the higher power and be aware of his presence.

Father Aris also notes, “It’s also good that at certain times of the day we have short pauses, like how we pause at work. It is a common recommendation nowadays that we pause. For example, we don’t stare at the computer screen too much.” 

I’m so tired that I don’t have time to pray. What should I do?

You can also turn your rest into prayer. For example, in those little breaks from work, you can think about God briefly. Before sleeping, you can also offer your rest as a way of refilling your energy to glorify God. Father Aris advises, “It is very important that we begin our day and end our day with prayer.” For example, pray a short, morning offering when you wake up, and then a short thanksgiving before sleeping.

I enjoy using social media, is this okay?

Technology is a tool that is designed to be used for good.

Father Aris’ presence on social media, as he says, is part of his ministry. “It is part of my preaching, it is part of my sharing about the faith, and I also enrich myself many ways through technology.”

He also admits that technology can be a distraction for many people. “We need a lot of discipline like if you’re not careful you won’t sleep anymore. Because technology has a certain attraction, it makes us addicted to it. When you are on your computer, when you are on your gadgets, you forget time.”

Just like finding time to insert small breaks into our work, we should also control how we use technology. “Technology is one of the many gifts from God,” says Father Aris, but he says we have to control it and not let it control us.

Our priest says we have to find time to reflect, but how? And how long should I reflect?

Reflection or meditation can be done at home or in your bedroom where it is quiet. Sometimes, it’s even hard to think about what to reflect on! You are not alone, and this is normal.

To help you, you can read a bible passage and think about that for ten minutes. Reading spiritual books can be a form of mental prayer.

If you have no books, just tell God about how tired you are, how hard your work is, or how anxious you are about something, and he will listen and answer.

Says Father Aris, “Tell him what you want to say. That exercise of silence, that exercise of talking to God and then listening to Him, is prayer.”