What is a good prayer before work?

A prayer before work is short and specific: offer the hours ahead, name the work you must do well, and ask for patience with the people you will meet. The start-of-day prayers on this page are written for exactly that moment.

How do you pray for a good day at work?

Pray for the day in parts rather than all at once — before work, at midday, at lunch, and at the end of the day. Praying at each point keeps a good day going and steadies a difficult one.

How often should I pray during the workday?

Four short moments — start of day, midday, lunch, and end of day — are enough to shape a working day without interrupting it. Each can take under a minute.

Can I pray at my desk without anyone noticing?

Yes. Every prayer here can be read silently in a few seconds, which is why the formats are built around short texts rather than long devotions.

Can a team pray the same prayers together?

Yes. A team can share one prayer format so everyone follows the same prayers at the same points in the day, and members can add intentions for the group.

What is a prayer format?

A prayer format is your own selection of prayers assigned to the four workday moments, and optionally to specific days of the week. You can save it and export it as a PDF.

Prayer for Work

A prayer for work belongs in the working day itself, not only before it and after it. Below are prayers for work you can pray right now at your desk — a prayer before work, a prayer at midday, a prayer at lunch, and a prayer at the end of the day — along with prayers for a hard day at work and a way to gather your own into one workday prayer format you can keep.

Prayers for work you can pray right now

A prayer for the spirit of work

Prayer for the Spirit of Work

God our Father, Creator and Ruler of the universe, in every age you call us to use and develop our gifts for the good of others. With St. Joseph as our guide, help us to do the work you have asked and come to the rewards you have promised. Please grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Open prayer

Before you begin the day's tasks

Thomas Aquinas’ Prayer Before Working

Ineffable Creator Who, from the treasures of Your wisdom, have established three hierarchies of angels, have arrayed them in marvellous order above the fiery heavens, and have marshalled the regions of the universe with such artful skill, You are proclaimed the true font of light and wisdom, and the primal origin raised high beyond all things. Pour forth a ray of Your brightness into the darkened places of my mind; disperse from my soul the twofold darkness into which I was born: sin and ignorance. You make eloquent the tongues of infants. Refine my speech and pour forth upon my lips the goodness of Your blessing. Grant to me keenness of mind, capacity to remember, skill in learning, subtlety to interpret, and eloquence in speech. May You guide the beginning of my work, direct its progress, and bring it to completion. You Who are true God and true Man, Who live and reign, world without end.

Open prayer

To Saint Joseph, patron of workers

Prayer to St Joseph the Workman

O glorious St. Joseph, model of all those who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations, to work with gratitude and joy, in a spirit of penance for the remission of my sins, considering it an honor to employ and develop by means of labor the gifts received from God, to work with order, peace, moderation and patience, without ever shrinking from weariness and difficulties, to work above all with purity of intention and detachment from self, having always death before my eyes and the account that I must render of time lost, of talents wasted, of good omitted, of vain complacency in success, so fatal to the work of God. All for Jesus, all through Mary, all after thine example, O Patriarch, St. Joseph. Such shall be my watchword in life and in death. Amen.

Open prayer

For the start of the working week

A Prayer for Monday Morning

Lord, as I begin this new week, grant me strength and wisdom to face whatever challenges come my way. Help me to be a light in my workplace, bringing peace and patience to all my interactions. Amen.

Open prayer

Prayer through the workday

Start of day

Offer the hours ahead before the first email — name what you hope to do well and who you will work with.

Find prayers

Midday

A short pause to re-centre when the morning has pulled you off course.

Find prayers

Lunch

Gratitude for the meal, the work, and the people you share both with.

Find prayers

End of day

Hand back what is unfinished, give thanks for what went well, and close the day.

Find prayers

Prayers for specific work situations

Build your own workday format

Choose prayers from the prayer library and add them to a workday moment.
Assign them to the day — start, midday, lunch, and end of day, with different prayers on different weekdays if you want.
Keep it with you — save the format and export it as a PDF you can print or carry.

Build your prayer format

Praying with colleagues? See workplace prayer and how to pray as a team.

Common questions

What is a good prayer before work?: A prayer before work is short and specific: offer the hours ahead, name the work you must do well, and ask for patience with the people you will meet. The start-of-day prayers on this page are written for exactly that moment.
How do you pray for a good day at work?: Pray for the day in parts rather than all at once — before work, at midday, at lunch, and at the end of the day. Praying at each point keeps a good day going and steadies a difficult one.
How often should I pray during the workday?: Four short moments — start of day, midday, lunch, and end of day — are enough to shape a working day without interrupting it. Each can take under a minute.
Can I pray at my desk without anyone noticing?: Yes. Every prayer here can be read silently in a few seconds, which is why the formats are built around short texts rather than long devotions.
Can a team pray the same prayers together?: Yes. A team can share one prayer format so everyone follows the same prayers at the same points in the day, and members can add intentions for the group.
What is a prayer format?: A prayer format is your own selection of prayers assigned to the four workday moments, and optionally to specific days of the week. You can save it and export it as a PDF.