Turning the Mundane into Meaningful: How to Find Joy in Everyday Life

By Madelyn Maxfield

Slowing down and being intentional, even with the most mundane tasks of life, can help you feel more joy.

a woman smiling and cooking in a kitchen

I really hate washing dishes.

It’s time-consuming, wet food is gross, and it seems like as soon as I empty the sink, it fills up again. Some days, the thought of washing dishes is so exhausting that I want to skip cooking altogether.

I’m sure you feel the same about one of your chores, whether it’s folding laundry, tidying up, or vacuuming the house. There’s no judgment here.

When everyday tasks pile up, or when we lose sight of the purpose of spiritual tasks, they can become tedious and joyless. You might start asking yourself if there’s a point to them. President Russell M. Nelson has advised, “When the pressures of life crowd in upon you, think celestial!”

But is there really a celestial purpose to every mundane task?

Take a Step Back and Look at the Big Picture

If you’ve ever seen an oil painting up close, like the works of Claude Monet or Vincent van Gogh, you’ll notice that the painting’s individual brushstrokes blur together in a splotchy muddle of random, overlapping dots and streaks. It’s only when you step back that you can see the painting for what it really is—a beautiful, cohesive masterpiece.

I think that’s partly what President Nelson means when he encourages us to think celestial. When we step back and look at the big picture, we get a better sense of how the individual tedious “brushstrokes” fit into our eternal progression.

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles reassures us: “One day you will see the finished product, and you will know that the Master Artist had a plan for those random dots all along. You will see that He was preparing you for opportunities and possibilities far more glorious than you ever could have imagined.”

Here’s what keeping a broad perspective looks like for me:

If there’s something I’m really excited to cook, but the utensils I need to make it are dirty, I have no problem washing them. My excitement for good food overpowers my distaste for scrubbing out pots and pans.

But beyond that, I know that having a clean kitchen improves my mood and makes it easier to feel the Spirit. Learning how to stay organized now will also prepare me to better care for my future family. Plus, staying on top of my daily tasks will help me develop the Christlike quality of diligence.

The scriptures encourage us: “Be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great” (Doctrine and Covenants 64:33).

Your everyday routines, both temporal and spiritual, are the small things from which the foundation of your life is laid. Seeking to understand the blessings these tasks bring will help you stay motivated to keep those daily routines—and develop new habits—that will edify you into eternity.

Slow Down and Be Intentional

Sometimes, just stepping back isn’t enough. Sometimes, we also need to slow down.

We were designed to act for ourselves, not be acted upon (see 2 Nephi 2:26). When you turn to the Lord and take charge of your life instead of being pushed along by it, you will feel less overwhelmed by your daily to-do list, which gives you more mental space to think celestially and feel joy.

Being intentional helps you act for yourself. Try these tips to slow down, refocus, and bring an eternal perspective into your everyday life:

Savor the things that bring you joy.
Make decisions in advance. Simple routines like packing your backpack the night before will help your mornings feel less rushed.
Find moments of stillness to reflect, decompress, and reconnect with the Lord.
Practice active gratitude by acknowledging and expressing thanks for good things as they happen.
Create spaces that feel good to be in. Order and cleanliness allow the Spirit to be present.

You Can Be Joyful

Despite your best efforts, there will still be days when it’s hard to find meaning in the mundane. That’s OK! Striving to focus on the Savior will help you pick yourself up again.

Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught, “We can cultivate a growing and abiding sense of joy and inner peace because of our hope in Christ and our understanding of our own place in the beautiful plan of happiness.” Keeping an eternal perspective and focusing on that plan will help you maintain that peace, even when things go wrong or just feel dreary.

So yes, I still have days when washing the dishes is not something to be savored (if it gets done at all). But I know that my effort does matter more than just checking off a box on a list. That helps carry me through my busiest—or most boring—days.