Oct 24

Oct 24 12 Ways to Practice Gratitude When You're Busy

I was in the middle of washing dishes when I hit my breaking point.

“Can we wait until next week to make big life changes?” I asked my husband via text, desperation bleeding through the words. “This is one the most stressful weeks of my year, and I am at my breaking point. I cannot handle anything else added to my current mental load.”

We were leaving for the next week on vacation, and while I knew rest and fun were around the corner, I felt overwhelmed by everything I needed to accomplish. A manuscript was due to the publisher, we were about to launch a new book, and my work-to-do list kept getting longer. Plus, my husband was going out of town for work, the kids had regular evening activities, and I was working alongside the rest of our local Mom Co. leadership to prep for our first meeting that evening. And I still needed to keep up with daily chores like laundry, housework, and feeding my family.

So, when my husband asked if I wanted to do a family challenge centered around exercise and reading goals, it tipped me over the edge.

I'd heard the ding of my phone, paused to rinse my soapy hands, and immediately felt my heart sink. When I sent my "Can we wait until next week" text, I felt a little desperate. Actually, a lot desperate. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to try his idea—I did—but the timing was, frankly, terrible.

"That's fine!" he responded.

"Whew," I thought, mentally crossing it off my list.

As I returned to washing dishes, I thought about how hard it can be to admit we've reached our limit. I hate to feel like I'm letting someone else down, and at times, I have fallen into the bad habit of sucking it up and powering through, even though I feel like I'm unraveling at the seams.

When I hit that desperate point, it's easy to let grumpiness creep in and think only of what’s going wrong, what’s on our list, what our partner or children aren’t doing for us—instead of focusing on what’s going right, the things we’ve already been able to accomplish, or the support or help a loved one or friend offered us.

Saying no to adding something else to my plate can help alleviate the stress. But often, my lack of gratitude for the life I'm living is simply caused by the fact that I’m too worried or stressed out to notice the good things right in front of me: the cozy home I’m lucky to live in, the husband who offers to take two of the kids to their activities while I stay home and enjoy a quiet house, the daughter who appears from upstairs and comes over for a hug, or the beautiful autumn leaves falling outside my window.

When I am overwhelmed by being busy, I forget to be grateful. When time feels scarce, I forget that God's economy is one of abundance, not scarcity. As Psalm 23:1 reminds us, "The Lord is our shepherd; I have all that I need." We don’t need to hustle and hurry to squeeze the last bit of work or worry into our calendar. With God’s help, we can be thankful for now, today. He'll help us meet this moment, the next one, and the one after that.

I love Paul’s reminder to the Philippians on the importance of reframing worries and the weight of this world. He says:

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.
Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
Philippians 4:6

Don’t worry—instead, pray. Tell God our needs and thank him for what he’s done. What simple, life-changing advice.

When we’re busy and focused on keeping our heads above water, we can forget to notice or recognize all that we have to be grateful for each day.

With that in mind, here are 12 ways to practice gratitude even when you’re busy:

Pour yourself a cup of coffee or tea and savor it, stopping the morning whirlwind to sip in silence for a minute. As you pause, prayerfully give God the day and ask him to order your steps.
Write a favorite scripture (or one centered on gratitude) and place it on your bathroom mirror or refrigerator to reflect on whenever you see it.
As you settle into your daily routine, put on a worship song to set the tone (You Say by Lauren Daigle or I Surrender by Kim Walker-Smith are great starting points).
Drive or walk an unexpected route on purpose, taking the time to notice your surroundings or the journey itself, thanking God for all you see.
Thank someone who made an item of food you consume, whether it’s someone in your home, a chef at a restaurant, a bakery or grocery store, or a company whose products you enjoy.
Take five deep breaths, thanking God on every exhale.
Take a moment to look outside and thank God for the small reminders of the beauty of his creation today: The leaves on the trees, the grass under your feet, the crispness of the air, or the cloudless blue sky.
During dinner, ask everyone at the table to take a turn saying aloud one thing or person they were grateful for that day.
Find a pocket of time where you can rest, even if it's only for a few minutes. Instead of idly scrolling social media, choose an activity that renews your mind or spirit (reading a book, listening to music, texting a friend, walking outside, etc.).
Spend time stretching your muscles. Spend at least 30 seconds—or roughly four breaths in and out—on each stretch, allowing your muscles to relax.
What’s one thing you are looking forward to—a vacation, a holiday, an event, an evening with nothing planned? Spend time thanking God for it, finding joy in the anticipation.
As you prepare for bed, spend time telling God about a few things you were thankful for that day or thanking him for his love for you.