Between work, family, personal commitments, and the constant distractions around us, finding time for bhakti (devotion) can seem like a challenge. However, bhakti doesn’t require a rigid schedule or long hours of practice. With just a few simple adjustments, you can easily integrate devotion into your everyday life—what matters most is your intent and motivation.
You may realize the immense value of Satsang and feel a deep desire to be more grateful and devoted, but in today’s fast-paced lifestyle, it can be difficult to take action. Don’t worry! Here are 5 simple tricks to help you make time for bhakti, no matter how busy your day is:

Start Your Day with Gratitude and Prayer
First things first—let’s avoid reaching for our phones as soon as we wake up! While it’s tempting to check the news or scroll through social media, small lifestyle changes can make a huge difference. The first moments of the day set the tone for everything that follows.
As soon as you wake up, take a few moments to reflect on your favorite swaroop (form) of Bhagwan (mine is Rangmahol’s Ghanshyam Maharaj). Offer a simple prayer or words of gratitude that you can chant every morning. You can also chant the Swaminarayan Mahamantra and visualize Bhagwan’s swaroop. After taking a shower, do your morning pooja. This will help you calm your thoughts and connect with Bhagwan. Starting your day with bhakti connects you with Bhagwan from the moment you wake up, setting a positive intention for the rest of the day.

Darshan at the Ghar Mandir and Blessings from Parents
Before heading out to work or school, make time for darshan at your ghar mandir (home temple). While doing darshan, you can pray something like: “May my day pass with integrity, and may I strive to please Bhagwan through every task I undertake.” If you live with your parents, seek their blessings before starting your day.
In Shikshapatri (Shlok 139), Bhagwan Swaminarayan advises all householders to care for their parents throughout their lives. Taking care of your parents and offering them help whenever needed is another easy way to bring bhakti into your daily life. If one can see God in their parents and serve them with devotion, then it could indeed be considered Bhakti in a broader sense.
For those living away from their parents, staying connected and expressing care (like calling them) also reflects love and respect, which can be a form of Bhakti, depending on the intention behind the action. If the devotion is towards God, acknowledging the divine presence in our parents, then this would bridge the gap between Seva and Bhakti.

Bhakti During Your Commute
Commuting—whether to work or school—often feels like a routine filled with stress, distractions, and time spent in traffic or crowded trains. But this time can also be an excellent opportunity to incorporate bhakti into your day.
I personally enjoy listening to kirtans during my morning commute. It helps calm my mind and uplift my mood. Shravanam, or listening to kathas or kirtans related to Bhagwan, is a powerful form of bhakti. You can also listen to dhun or ashtakam.
When you pay attention to the lyrics of a kirtan, you’ll be amazed at the devotion and love the writer expresses for Bhagwan. Kirtans and kathas have the potential to invoke bhakti in your heart and deepen your understanding of Bhagwan’s true form.

Mansi Pooja – Pooja Without Physical Offerings
Mansi Pooja, or mental worship, is a form of devotion in which the devotee imagines serving Bhagwan as though He is physically present, ready to receive offerings. This practice helps strengthen our connection and love for Bhagwan.
Mansi pooja can easily be incorporated into your daily routine. Ideally, it’s done five times a day—early morning, around lunch, at 4 p.m., at dinner time, and before bed—and each session takes about 1-2 minutes. To help you stay consistent, set alarms on your phone as reminders. Over time, it will become second nature.
If you’d like guidance on performing Mansi Pooja, there are audio resources available to help you along the way.

Smaranam – Bhakti Doesn’t Have to Be Time-Consuming
We often think that bhakti requires a lot of time and effort. We may have the impression that bhakti means sitting with closed eyes and meditating for hours. In reality, bhakti can be seamlessly woven into your daily life through Smaranam—the act of remembering Bhagwan.
Something as simple as reciting Bhagwan’s name after sneezing, coughing, or yawning is a form of Smaranam. You could also take a few moments before each meal to close your eyes and mentally offer your food to Bhagwan. Before you go to sleep, pause for a moment to express gratitude for the day and thank Bhagwan for His blessings.

In Vachnamrut Gadhadã II – 62, Ayodhyãprasãdji first asked,

“In life, a man may be engrossed in the entanglements of worldly affairs all day long, and during that time, he may well perform some moral as well as immoral karmas. Moreover, he may engage in worship for only half an hour or so. Is this enough to burn all of the sins he has committed during the day, or not? That is my question?” Shreeji Mahãrãj replied, “Even if a person has spent the whole day in pravrutti, and regardless of whatever type of activities he may have been involved in, when he engages in the worship of Bhagvãn, if his indriyas, antah-karans, and jeev all unite and become engrossed in worship, then even if he does so for half an hour, or even for a few minutes, all of his sins will be burnt to ashes. However, if his indriyas,antah-karans, and jeev do not unite and engage in worship, then his sins cannot be burned by worshipping for such a short while. Such a person can attain kalyãn only by the grace of Bhagvãn. This is the answer to your question.”

In conclusion, Bhagwan Swaminarayan has made it incredibly easy for us to attain ekantik moksha in this age. Muktanand Swami joyfully states in the aarti:

“Aa avsar karunaanidhi, karunā bahu kīdhī, vaḷe karuṇā bahu kīdhī,
Muktānand kahe mukti, sugam karī sidhī”

Muktanand Swami celebrates Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s mercy, noting that in this era of Kaliyug, He has made it incredibly easy to attain salvation—a rare opportunity indeed.
Ultimately, all we need is the right intention and motivation to fall in love with Bhagwan and His grace every single day. Follow these 5 simple tricks, and let’s make an effort to please Bhagwan, one day at a time!