You’re a woman on a mission: actively live out Micah 6:8 AND maintain a clean kitchen while doing it.

Amidst responsibilities and emails, finding time for prayer and Bible study can seem daunting. The desire is there: a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit, consistent minutes of Bible reading, adding stars to finished devotional on Goodreads… 

Then your pastor talks about the importance of prayer, and you think “Cool. Remind me of another thing that I need to do, know it’s good for me… but requires more hours in my already full schedule.”

It’s hard when our desired routine isn’t a reality. 

In this article, we’ll talk through 6 practical ways and suggestions to help you make prayer a more consistent part of your daily life. 

Please note: You might want to do all the steps. You might want to do 2 of them. You might integrate one suggestion and realize it doesn’t fit your schedule. That’s OK. These are ideas to help you start strengthening this discipline, and they can be modified or changed whenever and however best fits your needs.

#1: Prioritize Time for Prayer

Have you ever written out your daily schedule and responsibilities? Like you listed what you were doing during those hours of the day, commitments, meetings, and chores? 

When I was in high school, I started to time myself. I recorded how long it took me to wash the dishes, take a shower, do my daily quiet time, etc. 

Suddenly it seemed that there was more time to my day than I thought. 🤷🏽‍♀️

Record your daily tasks and routines and note where you have pockets of time that are unaccounted for—maybe those could be used for prayer? Or maybe that action of mopping the floor or wiping down the shower could *also* be a prayer activity?

You can also set a designated time for prayer. 

After finding those extra minutes, mentally make the plan to pray once the meeting or activity is done. 

Or “Bookend” that activity with prayer: before and after that commitment, pray. It can be as simple as “God, give me the words to say and patience to understand,” before the meeting, and “God, thank You that we could all come to a consensus regarding my son’s homework,” after the meeting.

#2: Start Small & Be Consistent

Just like exercising, it’s good to start small and build incrementally. Begin with a few minutes each day (maybe in the morning before you get out of bed?) and gradually increase the duration as you become more comfortable. 

It may seem daunting, but if you could hold a plank for 7 seconds, you can pray for 7 seconds. Keep that time for a week, then increase it to 15 seconds. 

Prayer is a spiritual exercise and consistency is key. 

#3: Create Prayer Stations

Maybe your day is spent mostly in the car …

… or in a cubicle …

… or in a home, folding laundry.

Depending on where you spend the day, can you integrate that as a marker to remember to pray?

For example, while you’re waiting to turn left at a specific intersection, use that time to pray. I drive the same route to and from work every day, and I can use those intersections, highway markers, and retail stores as markers to pray.

Or could anytime you approach the pantry, could you say a quick prayer of “God, thank You for this food”? 

As you spend time picking out tomorrow’s outfit or getting dressed, can you use that room as a reminder to pray for the day that happened or the one that’s to come? 

We don’t have to reorganize a room or use the spare bathroom to pray (but if it helps you pray more, please go for it!)—we just need to train our minds to pray for all things at all times in all places.

#4: Embrace Different Prayer Styles

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to prayer. Experiment with different prayer styles to find what resonates with you. Some find comfort in journaling their prayers, while others prefer praying out loud or using prayer prompts.

I have several $2 notebooks from Walmart that have prayers recorded over the years. Writing my prayers has been the most useful tool for me, and there are several tools available that can help you journal your prayers such as Val Marie Paper, Cultivate What Matters, and The Daily Grace Co.

In whatever approach you choose, incorporate praise, thanksgiving, confession, and supplication into your prayers (it’s the A.C.T.S. method of prayer!). Remember, prayer is a conversation with God, so let it be an authentic reflection of your heart. 

#5: Engage with Scripture

Our prayer lives can be enriched when we look to Scripture for guidance. Not only should we read and pray in conjunction with each other, but we can also use verses as inspiration for what to pray. 

Some of my favorite verses to pray include Psalm 19:14, Psalm 121:1–2, and Matthew 6:9–10:

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19:14

1 I will raise my eyes to the mountains; From where will my help come? 

2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.

Psalm 121:1–2

9 Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.

10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.

Matthew 6:9–10

A challenge to you: whatever the “Verse of the Day” is, can you turn that into a prayer?

#6: Find an Accountability Partner

I strongly recommend this. 

Yes, it’s hard to ask… 

Yes, it’s like inviting someone into your “personal bathroom,” to see everything you use and want to keep private…

Yes, it’s an opportunity to get hurt and disappointed…

But we’re not created or called to isolation. 

It will take discernment to ask the right person to pray with you. So start *this* process with “God, bring someone into my life who will care for me like You care for me.” And He will answer it.

In my experience, I’ve felt more courage, peace, and joy when sharing what’s burdening my heart with someone else. And it’s been a great comfort to know that they, too, are wanting to help me through whatever situation is happening in my life.

Staying Consistent in Prayer

Exercising and strengthening this spiritual discipline is so important to nurture our relationship with God. It may seem challenging at first, but with perseverance and a desire to grow, you might see that God is making it easier and easier for you to draw closer to Him. 

No matter what the day brings and what discouragement you may face, please remember that God delights in your pursuit of Him, no matter how small or imperfect it may seem. 

If you want to cultivate this habit, download the free “Praying through the Psalms” 14-day prayer journal. It gives you a daily verse to meditate on PLUS questions to guide your prayer for the day. 

The prayer journal has space for you to write requests, answers, verses, and more! No matter what stage of “Prayer strength” you’re at, you can benefit from this resource. 

Is there a certain step that you want to add to your prayer life? What are some of your favorite verses to prayer? Is there someone that comes to mind that would be encouraged by this? Share it with them!