What to Do When Joy Feels Like Work 

Parenting Perspective 

When joy starts to feel as taxing as responsibility, it signifies deep fatigue—not a flaw in your parenting, but a signal that your emotional tank is running low. The first step is to stop measuring joy by grandness and recalibrate in small, gentle ways. 

Begin with Curiosity 

Begin with curiosity rather than pressure. At the end of the day, pause for just a minute and ask yourself, ‘What felt even slightly lighter in me today?’ Perhaps it was a quiet moment listening to the wind, a shared smile with your child, or the scent of brewing tea before sunrise. Note that moment mentally without an agenda; it is not about creating joy, but noticing what still flickers. 

Practise Micro-Rituals 

Next, practice micro-rituals—tiny, intentional pauses that your spirit can recognise. It could be stepping outside after lunch to feel the air on your face or humming a soft melody to yourself during a routine chore. These are not about productivity; they are about reclaiming presence in tiny increments. 

Celebrate Rest 

If joy feels like work, try to celebrate rest instead. Tell your child, ‘I am going to rest for a moment, so I can be brighter for us.’ This models that emotional renewal precedes care, and that care alone cannot improve emotional states. Over time, these small interruptions bind together a sense of emotional fullness again. 

Spiritual Insight 

Islam recognises that the soul requires sustenance, not relentless striving. Spiritual wisdom values pockets of stillness and small joys aligned with divine rhythm. 

The Divine Reassurance of Ease 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Inshirah (94), verses 5–6: 

  ‘Thus with (every) hardship there is facilitation (from Allah Almighty). Indeed, with (every) hardship there is facilitation (from Allah Almighty).’ 

This repetition does not promise effortless joy, but it assures that even in heaviness, ease coexists, not as a distant promise, but as a companion to hardship. Recognising glimpses of ease, however small, anchors our hearts to Allah’s mercy. 

The Prophetic Model: Your Body Has a Right Over You 

It is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘Your body has a right over you.‘

[Sahih al-Bukhari, 67:133] 

This Hadith extends beyond physical health; it includes emotional and spiritual care. Seeking what fills your soul is not indulgence; it is fulfilling a trust from Allah upon your heart. 

By tuning into small moments of ease and rest, you recenter your emotional wellness, to then parent from a place of deep repair rather than ongoing depletion. In that consistent, humble attention lies the return of quiet joy, one breath, one moment at a time.