Begin with something you can keep
A prayer rule gives your day a steady place to return to God. The Orthodox Church in America describes a personal rule that is brief and regular, using the prayers of the Church. That is a different aim from filling every spare minute with a longer list.
Choose a place and a time that work on an ordinary weekday. Put your prayer book nearby before you need it. If you are starting, speak with your priest or spiritual guide about an appropriate rule rather than treating an online example as an instruction.
Make the plan your own
The four parts in this worksheet are only planning labels. Replace them with the parts of the rule you actually use. A minute of settling, prayers from your prayer book, a reading and intercession may help you think about the time available; the numbers are not a prescribed Orthodox order.
Switch between Morning and Evening to edit each routine. Your changes remain separate during this visit. Use zero minutes to leave a part out. The printed sheet contains only the routine you are viewing, so print each one if you want both.
Leave space for attention
Use the timings to make room, not to race the words. You can put the plan beside your prayer book and leave the phone elsewhere. A shorter routine that you attend to is a useful starting point for a conversation with your priest.
The OCA distinguishes set times of prayer from remembering God through the rest of the day. The worksheet covers those set times. It does not measure the quality of your prayer, keep a streak or assign a spiritual score.
Return without turning it into a test
If the day goes differently from your plan, begin again at your next time of prayer. When the routine consistently feels too long or too short, bring that experience to your priest or spiritual guide. An editable plan can help you explain what is practical in your circumstances.
For prayer texts, use your own prayer book or the OCA's prayer resources. This page provides the planning sheet, not a replacement prayer book or the texts of the daily services.
Questions
Is there one prayer rule for every Orthodox Christian?
This worksheet does not prescribe one. The OCA describes a personal rule that is brief and regular. Work out an appropriate rule with your priest or spiritual guide.
Are the example minutes required?
No. They are editable planning examples. Use the prayers and routine appropriate to you, and allow enough time to attend to them.
Are my routines saved?
No. Edits stay in this page's memory and disappear when you reload or leave. Print, copy or download each routine if you want to keep it.
Is this part of the PrayLock iPhone app?
This is a separate web worksheet. PrayLock puts a prayer before the iPhone apps you choose and requires a Pro subscription.
Sources and edition
Sources checked 22 October 2026. This is an independent PrayLock web resource.
