I remember my 30s and 40s well: I was working, raising children, and married to someone who often worked nights and weekends. I used to joke that I was a single mom with his paycheck. Life was incredibly busy and exhausting—physically, emotionally, and mentally.

Suffice it to say, if I were given the chance to relive those years, my answer would be a resounding “no.”

But what if I could apply the life lessons I’ve learned since those tumultuous years?

Maybe those years would have been better—perhaps even, dare I say, enjoyable.

What life lessons am I talking about? The kind that help us build more everyday joy into our lives. When we’re caught in a hectic routine, we rarely have time to step back and ask: How could I live with less stress? How could I enjoy this journey more?

Instead, we’re busy driving kids to soccer or doctor’s appointments, helping with homework, preparing meals, doing laundry, paying bills, and tackling everything else on the endless to-do list.

I remember my mantra from those days: “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” paired with my theme song, “I’m in a Hurry” by Alabama. If you ask my son what he remembers most about that time, it’s not making and decorating holiday sugar cookies—even though we did that often.

What he remembers most is the daily rush, the chaos, and that song.

Adding even a little daily “me” time and joy might have transformed my life, my children’s lives, and my memories of those years.

But how do you make time for joy when 24 hours already feels too full?

One option is to delay or skip a chore. If no one is out of underwear yet, the laundry can wait a day. Maybe dinner can be something simple—takeout pizza or even pancakes. No one will be harmed. Everyone will be fed, and you’ll gain a little time.

Ask for more help, even if you belong to the “no one can do it as well as I can” club. Your kids or spouse can load or unload the dishwasher. It may not be as efficient or organized as you’d do it, but it will get done. Parents or grandparents might also be able to entertain the kids for an afternoon or evening.

These small time-savers can make a big difference. They can create space for a bubble bath, a few quiet hours alone, a book, or a nap. Take a solo walk and enjoy the trees, butterflies, and flowers. Call an old friend. Try a new restaurant by yourself. Even savoring a specialty coffee while strolling downtown can feel like a welcome treat.

The point is to find a way to add a little joy to each day—whether that means time alone, a true break, or a small activity that feeds your soul and helps you reset.

That is exactly what I needed in my 30s and 40s. It’s something I wish more millennials would learn to do now, while they are still in the thick of it.

A joyful life does not have to wait for retirement, a spiritual awakening, or a hard season. We should learn to live with joy early, so we have more years to experience how rich life can truly be.

I’m grateful I eventually learned to put this into practice. As the saying goes, better late than never.