A little over a month ago (time flies!), I was scrambling to set up my new home office. I have a rather large collection of Catholic art, statues, and crucifixes so it was pretty easy to scatter these little reminders throughout the space, but as I did this, I was reminded of WHY I bought/built them in the first place.
All of these items are reminders of the truth about Jesus Christ and His Church. They ought to inspire prayer, and in the beginning they did just that. As the years have passed, these religious items have faded into the distance and become more like decorations. This didn’t sit well with me.
So I asked our email audience to share their tips with me on how they incorporate prayer into the rhythm of their work. Check them out below!
For Those Working In The Field
Field workers, such as police officers and lawyers, often spend a significant amount of time working outside of a traditional office environment. This can make it challenging to find time for prayer and incorporate it into their daily routine.
However, many field workers find that prayer can be a valuable tool for managing stress and maintaining a sense of inner calm during high-pressure situations.
- Pray the rosary on the way to work.
- Call on the Holy Spirit many times as needed with the needs of the day for guidance and inspiration. “Come Holy Spirit…”
- Get up early, walk the dog and listen to the podcasts from Fr. Mike Schmitz.
- Write A.M.D.G. on the top of your legal pad, short for Ad Majorum Dei Gloriam (all for the greater glory of God).
- Say something as simple as ‘Jesus, Mary and Joseph’ many times a day.
- Do a quick decade of the rosary on a pocket rosary when you’re short on time or when something’s going on.
- Keep St. Gregory prayer book with you at all times.
For Those Who Have Desk Jobs
Software engineers, data analysts, and customer service representatives, etc. often spend the majority of their workday in front of a computer screen.
- The fast-paced and often stressful nature of office work can also make it challenging to find moments of quiet and reflection. The constant barrage of emails, meetings, and deadlines can make it feel like there is no time to pause and connect with one's spirituality. But, it’s NOT impossible.
- Place icons in places where you have to pass them while going about your home office work.
- Have quotes from Saints and the Bible on sticky notes on inconspicuous parts of your desk so you’ll see them throughout the day.
- Set a calendar reminder that goes off every hour to say the short little prayer. If you mark it as private, free, and zero time (same start and end time), no one will ever even see it.
- Play a YouTube video of the rosary or the precious blood in the background to help still your mind while working. There are also several great rosary options on the Hallow app.
- Bathroom and coffee breaks are a great way to take time to think of God instead of work. The perfect amount of time to get in a decade of the rosary.
- Set up and bookmark a Google doc with quick prayers that you can easily access and pray when needed.
- Get to work a little early to study the daily scripture reading and meditate.
- Light a blessed candle whenever you’re writing or emailing.
- Use a saint's name for passwords and ask them to pray for you every time you log in.
For Those Always Travelling
Traveling workers, such as salespeople or consultants, often spend a significant amount of time on the road or in the air. Prayer can be a helpful tool for managing stress and finding peace during a hectic travel schedule.
- Say “Jesus, I trust in you!” throughout the day.
- Say the Jesus prayer. Simply breathe in and think, “Lord Jesus Christ, son of God” then breathe out, “Have mercy on me, a sinner.”
- Read the book Imitation of Christ by Thomas A Kempis.
- Put on headphones and listen to Catholic talks, conversion stories, music, etc.
- Take my copy of the Daily Office with you.
- Do a rosary walk.
- Listen to morning Mass at 8am on EWTN (XM Radio).
- Clean the “air” by using your holy water, salt and incense.
- Make a prayer corner in your hotel room.
Over To You
What is your approach in incorporating prayer into your workday?
What tips from above are you going to apply today?
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