Five Sneaky Ways to Fit Prayer into a Busy Day

Cait Winters shares how she finds opportunities for prayer amidst a busy family life.

With busy lives, family, work, chores and activities it can feel overwhelming to make time for something else! As Christians, prayer is not only essential, but a top priority in our daily walk with Jesus. Thankfully, there are many ways to pray and keep God at the center of our lives.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church outlines five different types of prayer: blessing and adoration, petition, intercession, thanksgiving, and praise (CCC 2626-2643). Here’s how I incorporate each form of prayer into my family’s busy life!

Morning: Blessing and Adoration (CCC 2626-2628)

The morning is the perfect time for blessing and adoration! When my kids roll out of bed, bleary eyed and weary, I pull them close and thank God for their lives. I often take this part of the day, before they’re active and busy, to bless my children with holy water.

I make the sign of the cross on their foreheads while asking God to bless them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Then I say a prayer of thanksgiving for all that they are. I try to pray for my children out loud and in front of them. It reminds them who and Whose they are and helps them to build their identity in Christ.

Mornings have the power to set the tone for our whole day. A great way to do this is to pray a morning offering. There are several types of morning offering prayers but they’re all brief and focus on offering our works, joys, sufferings and prayers for various intentions. Setting intentions for my actions reminds me that the work I do throughout my day, though it benefits those around me, is truly for the Lord.

Whatever you do, do from the heart, as for the Lord and not for others, knowing that you will receive from the Lord the due payment of the inheritance. (Colossians 3:23-24)

Mealtimes: Petition (CCC 2629-2636)

Another prayerful part of our routine is grace before meals. Mealtimes are great for prayer because we gather at the table and pause to eat. We typically take turns leading prayer and the kids get excited when its their day to lead. Grace is a time to recognize God’s providence and provision while petitioning Him to bless the food we are to eat. When my children were young, I taught them a traditional prayer:

Bless us oh Lord and these Thy gifts which we are about to receive from Thy bounty through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Though we freestyle grace more often these days, it is comforting to know that we have the traditional prayer memorized. The hope is that saying grace will be so routine that it becomes second nature to my kids and a practice they will carry with them throughout their lives!

In the Car: Intercession (CCC 2634-2636)

This is one of my favorite and most-used prayer hacks; praying in the car! When we travel to appointments or errands during the week, we spend lots of time in the car together. A meditation that travels well is the Holy Rosary! I pray out loud from the front seat or play an audio Rosary so everyone can follow along.

I always have a rosary in the car and even have a keychain version for when I’m on the go! Audio Rosaries are so handy because if you get interrupted or distracted you can pause or pick up where you left off later. It’s a great way to familiarize kids with the Catholic staple prayers: the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be. Even the baby has learned and tries to pray along in her 2-year-old way. The Blessed Mother is a most powerful intercessor as she is so close to her Son, Jesus. Asking Mother Mary to pray for us and our intentions is such a comfort on a long drive.

Evening: Thanksgiving (CCC 2637-2638)

Evening is ideal for family prayer. It’s the part of our day where we reunite from work or school and take some time to wind down before bedtime and self-care routines. Once the dinner dishes are cleared and the leftovers put away, we get a lull. It’s a good time to check in with your spouse and children, to ask about their day, ask about their needs, and learn how you can support them.

In the evening we usually see a gorgeous sunset which makes a beautiful backdrop for our prayers of gratitude. It's one of my favorite times to grab a blanket, curl up on the couch, and pray with my husband. We acknowledge God as the source of our marriage covenant and give thanks for our vocations, our family, and God’s grace, provision, and providence in our lives. It’s a time to slow down and appreciate all that we have, all that we’ve built together and all that is to come.

Bedtime: Praise (CCC 2639-2643)

Bedtime is another part of the day when we slow down and get ready to sleep. The end of the day is a great time to count our blessings and praise God for all He does! I like to lead my kids through a makeshift examen as I tuck them in. I ask them what they enjoyed most that day, what they feel they did right, what they think they could do better next time. They pray for family and friends, for their guardian angels to guard them as they sleep and for the strength to grow in the likeness of Christ.

A practice I enjoy is keeping a prayer journal. Not only does it keep me from scrolling at night, it illustrates the faithfulness of God and builds my confidence and trust in Him. I write down blessings, prayers of gratitude and ask for strength in the day to come. It’s great to look back every once in a while and see what I had prayed for come to pass, or to see the list of blessings grow along with my family.

How do you incorporate prayer into your busy day?

Leave your prayer hacks and tips in the comments!

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Copyright 2026 Cait Winters
Images: Canva