“You always leave the Rosary for later, and you end up not saying it at all because you are sleepy. If there is no other time, say it in the street without letting anybody notice it. It will, moreover, help you to have presence of God” (St. Josemaria Escriva).

Editor’s Note: A recent article by Blanca Thérèse Morales shared prayer tips for busy professionals. Here, Maggie Phillips shares an approach for praying the rosary during a busy day.

I’m a work-from-home mom with three small kids. I have also been given the gift of a devotion to the rosary.

For a while, that combination was a balancing act I couldn’t reconcile. How was I supposed to fit in my daily rosary, a spiritual practice that has borne so much fruit in my life, when it was hard to find 20 uninterrupted minutes?

The Dionne Warwick Method of Prayer

Then, I gave my godson a copy of “The First Bible Basics,” an adorable counting primer for young Christians that attaches each number from 1 to 10 to a simple theological concept. I was also inspired by an episode of the podcast “Catholic Stuff You Should Know” in which one of the hosts described a visit to the Missionaries of Charity and their ingenious technique of praying the rosary without beads while they worked. The sisters, Father said, had a mnemonic device to help them count the beads, in which they numbered each bead, and each number had a symbolic value.

It was very easy to adapt these examples into the method I developed of praying the rosary as I go. Of course, I’m an indoorsy, soft-handed knowledge economy worker, so I can’t really pray while I work. But, I often adapt what I call “Dionne Warwick theology,” doing it before (or while) I put on my makeup or “all through my coffee break time.”

I talk to my mom on the phone while I work around the house and take care of the kids; why not do the same with Mary? Of course, a quiet, uninterrupted rosary with beads is preferable, but I’ve learned that if I wait for that moment, it may never come, and I end up asking my guardian angel to finish my rosary as I drift off to sleep at the end of the day. It’s fine in a pinch but hardly a habit I’d like to get into.

Applying It to the Rosary

Adapted from “The First Bible Basics,” here’s how I number each bead in a decade:

1: God

2: Natures of Christ

3: Persons in the Trinity

4: Gospels

5: Books of the Pentateuch 

6: Days of Creation

7: Last Words of Jesus

8: Beatitudes

9: Fruits of the Spirit

10: Commandments

Mentally (or out loud, if I’m alone), I begin each decade by reciting the mystery and the fruit of its mystery. Then, I use each bead to ask for its fruits. Let’s use the fourth sorrowful mystery (Jesus Carries His Cross) as an example (the fruit of the mystery is patience):

1: God (Give us a share of your patience.)

2: Natures (Jesus, help us to imitate your patience during the Passion.)

3: Persons of the Trinity (Help us reflect your love through our patience.)

4: Gospels (Teach us patience.)

5: Books of the Pentateuch (Teach us patience as we await the fulfillment of your promises.)

6: Days of Creation (Lord, grant that we may patiently cooperate with your ongoing work of creation.)

7: Last Words of Jesus (Jesus, let us console you on the cross through our patience with everyone we meet today.)

8: Beatitudes (Grant that, through our patience, we might merit the promises of the Beatitudes.)

9: Fruits of the Spirit (Come, Holy Spirit! Give us patience.)

10: Commandments (Lord, grant me the patience to learn, understand, and follow your commands).

This is only an example, and I often change it up as I see fit. But when you can’t prayerfully meditate and imagine each scene from the life of Jesus or Mary presented by each decade, you can at least, prompted by the tracking technique I’ve presented here, ask in a special, personalized way for its fruits.

Maggie Phillips is a freelance writer and military spouse with three small children and an incredibly patient husband. Follow her work at mrsmaggiephillips.com and on Instagram at @maggies_words.