Preparation in Prayerful Voyage

"I beseech you now to lay this text to your hearts. Do you prepare your hearts to seek God? When you got to prayer, can you say that you take pains in preparing your heart for it?"-Burroughs, Gospel Worship pg. 57

Often times, I have gone to the Lord in prayer to prepare for worship or reading the Word. I have never thought of preparing for prayer itself and I wonder how such an act would be done. I know Burroughs says that one way is by meditation, but often times I've had to pray before I could even think straight or meditate. Is there really preparation for prayer or is prayer a means of preparation? Obviously the answer could be both, but how do we know when to prepare for prayerful "voyage" (as Burroughs would say) or to prepare for "holy duties" through prayer? I do believe this might be something to pray about :)