How to Start a Consistent Quiet Time Routine (Even When Life Is Busy)
Let’s be real for a second.
You want to spend time with God. You know you need to. But between waking up late, chasing after kids, work meetings, laundry piles, and remembering to feed everyone again (like, didn’t we just eat?!), the day slips by—and suddenly, your Bible is still sitting unopened on the kitchen table, right next to your now-cold tea.
Sound familiar? Yeah, me too.
If you’re feeling guilty or discouraged about not having a “quiet time routine,” I want you to take a deep breath. Really. Right now.
Inhale grace. Exhale guilt.
This post isn’t about making you feel bad. I hope to help you find a rhythm with Jesus that works in your real life—not your “someday when things calm down” life.
Let’s walk through this together, sister to sister.
1. Stop Beating Yourself Up
We need to start here. Resist the urge to pick up your pen and jot stuff down. We’re not starting with a list. Not with a pretty planner with loads of stickers (nothing wrong with that). We need to start with your heart.
Because here’s what I know: a lot of us are walking around carrying spiritual shame. We think God is disappointed because we’ve missed our devotions again. We imagine He’s standing off in the distance with His arms crossed, waiting for us to get our act together.
But that’s not who He is.
Romans 8:1 says,
“There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
God isn’t looking for performance. He’s inviting you into presence. He misses you. And He’s not keeping score. Hallelujah!
2. Let Go of the Pretty Picture
When you hear the words “quiet time,” what comes to mind?
Maybe it’s a cozy chair by a window, an open Bible, a journal full of color-coded notes, and a steaming mug of something delicious. It’s peaceful. It’s beautiful. And it’s… not real life for most of us.
My quiet time usually starts with tidying up the kitchen from the midnight fridge raid before I put the kettle on (if you’ve got young adults in your house, you know what I’m talking about) before plumping down on my well-worn loveseat. Real life might look like praying in the car while running late. Listening to Scripture with one AirPod in while washing dishes. Whispering “Jesus, help me” between meetings.
And that counts. All of it. God is just as present in your minivan or messy kitchen as He is in a candle-lit quiet time corner.
Psalm 139:2 reminds us,
“You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.”
He sees you. You don’t have to “set the scene” to be in His presence.
3. Start Tiny
If you’ve been stuck in an all-or-nothing mindset, it’s time to flip the script. Spending time with God doesn’t have to mean an hour-long Bible study with Greek translations and commentary notes. A big high-five to those who can!
Start with five minutes.
Seriously—just five. You can do that.
Read one Psalm.
Write down one prayer.
Listen to one worship song and let it wash over you.
It might feel small, but God never overlooks small beginnings.
Zechariah 4:10 says,
“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.”
You show up for Him—and He always shows up for you.
4. Pick a Time That Fits Your Life
You know your life better than anyone else. So instead of trying to squeeze your day into someone else’s spiritual routine, ask yourself:
“When am I most likely to get five minutes alone?”
Early morning before the house wakes up?
During naptime?
Right after lunch?
Before you fall asleep?
For me, mornings around 6:00am work best— before anyone else is even thinking about getting up. That time has become sacred. But your time might be totally different, and that’s okay.
Don’t try to copy someone else’s rhythm. Create your own.
5. Make It Easy to Start
Sometimes we don’t read our Bibles because we don’t know where to start. Or because we’re not sure what we’re “supposed” to do.
Here’s a simple setup:
Your Bible (physical or app).
A notebook or journal.
A pen.
A short reading plan or a list of Scriptures to explore.
That’s it. No extra fluff needed.
Apps like YouVersion or First 5 are great if you want short devotionals or audio options on the go. If you prefer flipping pages and writing prayers, keep your Bible and journal somewhere easy to grab. Click here for a list of tools I use every morning during my time with God.
This isn’t about being fancy—it’s about being faithful.
6. Let Scripture Do the Talking
God’s Word is alive. You don’t need to read a whole chapter for Him to speak—you might only need a single verse.
Try starting with these passages:
Psalm 23 – When you need comfort.
Isaiah 40:31 – When you feel worn out.
Philippians 4:6-7 – When anxiety creeps in.
Matthew 11:28-30 – When your soul feels heavy.
Proverbs 3:5-6 – When you need guidance.
After reading, ask yourself:
What is God showing me here?
Is there a promise to hold on to?
Is there a truth I need to remember today?
Write down what comes to mind—even if it’s just a sentence. That’s how we learn to recognize His voice.
7. Engage Your Senses
If you’re a creative soul like me, you might connect with God best when your environment feels peaceful. Here are a few ways to make quiet time something you look forward to:
Light a candle.
Play soft instrumental worship.
Grab your favorite blanket.
Use colorful pens in your journal.
Take your Bible outside and read in the sunshine.
Let it feel personal. Sacred. Like a little date with Jesus.
8. Be Gentle With Yourself
As of this writing, I am 16 days behind in my year-long Bible study. Yep. Sixteen. I’m not even gonna sit here and try to make excuses. Yes, there have been some hard life things recently, but I could have swapped out scrolling for playing catch up.
You will miss a day. Or two. Or a week. Or sixteen, like me. Life will interrupt you. That doesn’t mean you’re failing. It just means you’re human.
Please don’t throw out the whole routine because you slipped. Just start again—right where you are.
Lamentations 3:22-23 reminds us,
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning.”
Every morning is a clean slate. No matter how long it’s been.
9. Talk to God All Day
Quiet time is beautiful, but it’s not the only way to connect with God. He’s not limited to 7 a.m. in a notebook. He’s with you all day long.
Talk to Him while driving, cooking, walking, folding laundry, waiting in the pickup line.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 simply says,
“Pray continually.”
That means you can talk to God while living your actual, messy, beautiful life. And He listens. Every time.
10. Keep Coming Back to the Why
This isn’t about checking off a spiritual box or earning God’s love. It’s about soaking in it.
Quiet time is how we remember who we are—and Whose we are. It’s how we align our hearts with truth when the world gets noisy. It’s how we breathe in peace when life is loud.
James 4:8 tells us,
“Come near to God and He will come near to you.”
Every time you make space for Him, He meets you there.
A Few Real-Life Ideas to Try
Here are a few ways other women I know make time with Jesus in the middle of a full life:
Voice Memos with God – A friend of mine records prayers in Voxer while driving. She calls it her “God journal on wheels.”
Sticky Notes on the Mirror – One mom writes Scriptures on sticky notes and puts them on her bathroom mirror. It’s the first thing she sees when brushing her teeth.
One Verse, All Day – Another friend picks one verse and writes it on a notecard. She reads it morning, noon, and night, letting it sink deep.
Sunday Setup – I personally use Sundays to glance at my week and figure out where my quiet time will fit in. It’s not about perfection—it’s about planning to be present.
There’s no wrong way to do this. Just start.
One Last Thing, Sis…
If you’ve felt like a “bad Christian” because you haven’t been consistent in your quiet time, I want to remind you:
You’re still loved.
You’re still seen.
You’re still invited.
Jesus isn’t waiting for you to get your act together—He’s ready to meet you in the middle of your beautiful, messy, gloriously real life.
So whether you start with a verse, a prayer, or a moment of stillness—just start.
And if tomorrow doesn’t go as planned? Start again.
You’re not alone in this. I’m walking it with you.
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Regina is a writer, homeschooling mom, and owner of a comfort food catering business. A contributor to several publications, she is also an advocate for young adults with developmental disabilities and serves on the Compel Pro volunteer leadership team. Living in Ohio with her family, she designs Squarespace websites for fellow creatives and spends her free time cheering her sons from the sidelines or sipping tea while chatting about God’s goodness with women.
