The experience of daily work can range from monotonous and routine to fulfilling and purposeful. Despite growing interest in meaningful work, little is known about the meaning of daily tasks. To address this gap, we conducted a qualitative diary study with 155 employees over five workdays, resulting in 579 data entries. Our template analysis revealed that daily tasks are perceived as meaningful; specifically, we found thematic links with themes such as positive impact on others, personal growth and need fulfilment, as well as experiences of achievement and organizational contribution. These findings suggest two strategies to derive meaning from daily tasks: connecting with novel themes such as ‘getting things done’ and adapting classical themes of development and beneficence to suit day-to-day activities. Further, these perceptions are closely tied to beneficiaries and proximal in psychological distance, indicating that psychological distance may distinguish short-term, episodic perceptions of meaningful work from steady mindset perceptions. In light of these findings, we encourage future research to explore the temporality and dynamics of daily meaningful work, while also promoting the use of innovative methodological approaches. Moreover, our findings provide a valuable foundation for developing interventions aimed at enhancing daily experiences of meaningful work.
