Prayer is often referred to in Jewish texts as “avoda” or “work.” For anyone, like me, who has experienced episodes of mind-wandering while davening, the analogy with work is apt, since it sometimes requires a tremendous effort to pray. In past eras, devout Jews would spend as much time and energy in prayer as most of us spend in our jobs. In addition to learning Torah, many would devote an hour preparing for prayer, and hour praying and an hour afterwards for internalizing their prayers. Nowadays, few of us have time even to walk to the corner store to pick up a necessary item. How can one make time for prayer in a busy schedule?
For those who are beginning to pray from a siddur (Jewish Prayer book), it is best to start gradually, with the most essential prayers, in English, if you can find a siddur with an English translation. The best siddurim for those who are learning have one page in Hebrew with a facing-page translation in English. With these siddurim, you can study the meaning of the prayers if you can pray in Hebrew but don’t quite understand every word, or you can pray in English, and gradually make the transition in Hebrew, if you wish. While many will say that it is preferable to pray in Hebrew, according to most rulings, prayers and blessings are just as valid if they are said in one’s native language as they are in Hebrew.
It is a good idea to study certain sections of prayer so you can pray with feeling. When you feel that it is time to add to your prayers, don’t take on huge sections of the prayer service at once, but let your prayer accumulate, bit by bit. It is a good idea to consult with a Rabbi or someone who has experience with the Jewish prayer services to find out which prayers are the most essential. For those with busy schedules, it is possible to say the most important prayers and to pray at length when one has more time, for example, during Shabbat.