Let’s talk about joy — not the abstract, “I’ll find it when I’m on vacation” kind of joy, but the real, deep, everyday joy we can actually build into our lives, even through our work. I know it can feel like joy and work are two ideas that don’t really belong in the same sentence. But maybe they do. What if I told you that finding joy in what we do every day can change not just our work lives, but our whole lives for the better?

Why Prioritize Joy?

I think it’s easy to see joy as a luxury — like it’s something that’s optional and extra. When we’re busy, joy can feel like the first thing that has to go. But if you’ve ever felt drained and overwhelmed, you know that joy is not optional. It’s essential.

Joy is like a renewable energy source. When you make space for joy in your work, everything changes. It shifts the way you handle challenges. It helps you connect better with people. It makes your creativity flow more easily. It makes you feel more like… you. When we make joy a priority, we remember why we’re doing the work in the first place. And that changes everything.

Finding Out What Brings You Joy

But where do we even start? Sometimes we don’t know what brings us joy because we’re moving too fast to notice it. It’s not our fault; we’re just used to hustling. But here are a few simple ways you can start to reconnect with your joy:

• Notice When You Feel Energized: Think about your day. What moments make you smile, even if just for a second? What are the tasks that make time fly by? Take note of those. These are clues to what sparks joy for you.

• Reflect on Childhood Joy: Remember what you loved doing as a kid. Kids are great at finding joy, and those activities that lit you up when you were little are still powerful. Maybe it was drawing, solving puzzles, or even just telling stories. Finding ways to incorporate that feeling into your day can work wonders.

• Ask Yourself What You’d Do If Nobody Was Watching: Sometimes, the things that bring us joy are the things we don’t feel comfortable letting the world see. But those secret passions, the things that make your heart skip a beat, are important. Start by honoring those — even if it’s just for yourself.

Extra-Curriculars Aren’t “Extras”

I’ve heard people say that extra-curriculars — hobbies, side projects, or just things we do for the love of it — don’t matter that much in the grand scheme of work-life balance. But I think they’re crucial. They give us room to breathe, to switch gears, and to bring a little of that “play” back into our lives.

Having fun activities outside of work isn’t just about balance. It’s about feeding a part of your soul that the 9-5 just can’t. Gardening, cooking, writing, running, singing in the shower — all those things bring you back to yourself. They give you a little bit of distance from the grind, and that distance can be the difference between burnout and joy.

I’ve found that when we’re feeling good outside of work, it impacts how we show up at work. We’re less likely to let stress spiral out of control, more likely to be kind to ourselves, and just more able to approach challenges with a clear mind and a hopeful heart.

Embracing Joy as a Practice

The truth is, finding joy takes intention. It’s something we can cultivate. Just like building a new skill, joy is a practice — one that’s worth our time. Joy doesn’t always mean happiness; sometimes it’s more like contentment or just a sense of peace. It’s not about forcing it, but about gently inviting it in where it fits.

My hope for you is that you start to notice the moments that make you feel lighter. That you lean into the hobbies that bring you back to life. That you let joy be a part of your work, not just the end goal after the work is done. Because we’re not just here to survive each day. We’re here to live — fully, deeply, joyfully.