This is Your Ramadan—So Run Your Own Race

﷽

We’re about halfway through Ramadan, and this is usually the time where many struggle to maintain the high energy they entered Ramadan with.

Do you know the story of the hare and the tortoise who raced?

The hare was fast, but he burned himself out and decided to take a nap during the race, thinking he’d still win because of his lead. Meanwhile, the tortoise was slow, but also steady and consistent—determined to win the race at his pace. And in the end, he did.

Ramadan isn’t about racing others; it’s about pacing yourself—not just so you finish strong, but so you can maintain your ibadah beyond Ramadan. If you’ve been struggling with consistency so far— you’re doing just fine. All you need to do is smooth out your routine, simplify, and balance ibadah with life. These tips should help, in sha Allah.

Are You Doing Too Much or Are You Doing Too Much?

There’s a difference. Either you’re overcomplicating what needs to be done, or you’ve taken on more than you can actually handle.

• If you’re overcomplicating, simplify.

  Look for opportunities to reduce mental load and save energy—because when fasting, our energy needs to be effectively managed for proper decision making, emotional regulation, creativity, and problem solving.

  If making elaborate iftar meals stresses you out, simplify the menu. Reduce the complexity of the meal. After a long day of fasting, your family just wants food—and nearly any food tastes better than no food.

• If you’ve taken on too much, scale back. Delegate. Remove excess tasks.

  Break up your mega to-do list into categorized mini-lists (house, work, self, kids, etc.).

  This will help you see what truly needs attention and plan your days more effectively—allowing you to pick a few tasks from each list to ensure everything gets addressed.

  What’s the bare minimum you need to do without sacrificing quality?

Time Blocking is Divine Wisdom

Salah itself is a time-blocked structure—and that’s no coincidence. Time blocking isn’t just effective; it’s the superior time management method because Allah ﷻ designed our daily worship around it.

Instead of boxing yourself into a strict schedule, focus on creating rhythms and going with the flow of life. Use salah, work/school, and appointments as anchor points in your day. Everything else? Pencil it in as you go. Unexpected things pop up all the time, so schedule space.

An overcrowded to-do list leads to anxiety and burnout. If you only feel productive when every box is checked, make fewer boxes. Prioritize what truly matters. Each day, focus on 3 tasks that HAVE to get done that day, then everything else you do is just a bonus.

Use Timers

Time flies—whether you’re enjoying yourself or getting lost in tasks.

Set timers to stay in control, ensuring no single task takes up too much of your time. While there are structured methods like the Pomodoro technique, I prefer a flexible approach—I look at what needs to be done, decide how much time I want to invest in it, and let that guide my focus.

Once time is up, I move on. If I finish the next task earlier than expected, I either return to the previous one if it’s unfinished or move forward to the next.

Give your mind breaks after deep work sessions or whenever you feel frustration building.

The Race Isn’t Over

Maybe you started Ramadan with big goals, but life happened, and now you feel like you’re lagging. Remember—the tortoise still won. Not because he started strong, but because he kept going.

Ramadan isn’t about how fast you move or how much you do; it’s about your consistency and sincerity. Even if you’ve stumbled, you can still finish strong. Shift your focus from what you haven’t done to what you can do right now.

• Missed extra Quran time? Start today. Each night before bed or in the morning while eating suhoor, read one of the short surahs toward the end of the Quran. Reflect on it, and look for examples of what you read as you go about your day.

• Struggling with long night prayers? Pray two rak’ahs with focus.

• Feeling overwhelmed? Strip your day down to salah, dhikr, sawm, and the essentials. Think long term— the only thing that should stop after Ramadan is mainly your fasting.

• Struggling with fasting? Eat meals high in fiber and protein to help you stay fuller for longer. Add in electrolytes to stay hydrated and maintain energy levels throughout the day.

Renew Your Intentions & Seek Tawfiq

Success in Ramadan doesn’t come from planning and effort alone—it also requires tawfiq from Allah ﷻ. Tawfiq is when Allah ﷻ grants you the ability, ease, and guidance to do good. Without it, even the best-laid plans will fall apart.

So, if you’re struggling to stay consistent, don’t just push harder—ask Allah ﷻ to grant you tawfiq. When you seek His help, you’re no longer relying solely on yourself.

Make dua that Allah ﷻ facilitates your efforts, blesses your time, strengthens your sincerity, and allows you to finish Ramadan with consistency—no matter where you started. Even if you’ve fallen behind, with the help of Allah ‎سبحانه وتعالى, you can still finish strong.

Assalamu alaikum, until next time, in sha Allah

—Khalisa