Time and space are interrelated. To overlook either of them is to be partially blind.

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

Welcome to Day Two of Discover Your Inner Monk

Is there a part of you yearning for a life where the turning of the seasons or the ringing of beautiful bells would replace project deadlines, appointments, or traffic jams? Or perhaps you wish that your days were punctuated by more meaningful work, connection, or contemplation? If life feels too busy or too slow, too full of work or too empty of the purpose you seek, taking simple steps to sanctify your time can make space for your inner monk to thrive.

Reflecting on her time in a Benedictine monastery, Kathleen Norris writes, “Gradually my perspective on time had changed. In our culture, time can seem like an enemy: it chews us up and spits us out with appalling ease…The Benedictines, more than any other people I know, insist that there is time in each day for prayer, for work, for study, and for play.” In this way, monastic life offers a model we can learn and borrow from, beginning with the awareness that time is a gift. 

Sanctifying time takes intention and discipline. It requires us to assess how we’re spending our hours and days, and then begin to make whatever adjustments are available to us, in both attitude and action, to cultivate the monk within. Sanctifying time is a powerful response to broader cultural influences that reward busyness and offer endless distraction, and it doesn’t require moving to the monastery. Instead, it can begin with reclaiming a few moments for the reflection, connection, prayer, good work, or play that is missing from your daily life.

Today’s Practice: Honor the Gift of Time

Set the stage for today’s practice by listening to this beautiful Broadway classic that asks the powerful question, “How do you measure a year?” The song reminds us that we have 525,600 minutes in each year we live but that there are more meaningful ways to think about and measure our time, including by our journeys, laughter, strife, and love. How do you structure and measure your time?

Step One: Do a Time Audit

Draw a vertical line down the middle of a sheet of paper. On the left, make a list of some things you’d like to give more time to (activities, people, ideas!). On the right, make a list of things you’d like to dial back. As you make your lists, try to free yourself from judgement; naming that you want to give less of your time to something, for example, isn’t so much a measure of its importance as it is a way of working toward that balanced life that your inner monk is longing for.

Step Two: Listen to the Monk Within

As you review your lists, what does your inner monk have to say? Use the following questions for guided reflection: 

  • Am I responding to time as the gift that it is?
  • Does my time usage feed my soul?
  • Am I making time for “prayer, work, study, and play” — however I define each of these?
  • Where could I use a little courage to release something?

Step Three: Make a Small Shift

Circle two things, one from each column, where small adjustments to your time allocation are achievable today. These should be simple: “I’m going to read a book or listen to music for 10 minutes while having my tea” or — inspired by today’s deepening resource — “I’m going to build in 5-minute transitions to give thanks between the different activities of my day.” Commit to two, and see how you do. If something works, continue it throughout the week or even beyond.

Scroll to the bottom of the page (or click here) to find the Community Conversation space where we invite you to share your reflections about today’s practice.

Deepening Resource

Take inspiration from this conversation between UMC podcast host Ryan Dunn and Benedictine Sister Joan Chittister. In particular, listen closely to minutes 13:15–17:30, in which Sister Joan explains the concept of statio in Benedictine monastic life — the idea of a holy pause between activities. Consider how you could build a practice of statio in your life as you move from one thing to another throughout your day.

Simple Life Rhythms for Balance and Peace

Research Highlight

In a meta-analysis of 53 studies across 32 countries, researchers found that disruptions in daily routines were associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, and psychological distress. The associations were especially evident for regularity in things like sleep, eating, and physical activity. In a separate set of studies about the impact of small rituals, subjects who added a simple ritual to meal times experienced the food as more enjoyable, valuable, and worthy of savoring. Combined, these studies make a strong argument that developing some consistent routines, supported by small rituals that deepen our engagement with ordinary experiences, can help us sanctify time in our everyday lives.

Liu, H., T. J. Tao, S. K. Y. Chan, et al. “Daily Routine Disruptions and Psychiatric Symptoms amid COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Data from 0.9 Million Individuals in 32 Countries.” BMC Medicine 22 (2024): 60.

Vohs, Kathleen D., Yajin Wang, Francesca Gino, and Michael I. Norton. “Rituals Enhance Consumption.” Psychological Science 24, no. 9 (2013): 1714–1721.

Photo by Koko Htikeaung


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