If work has a negative connotation, life is going to be hard to enjoy.
Doing "work" means we have accomplished something at the end of the day. What could be better than that feeling. For some of us it could be just the act of getting out of bed, for others it could be putting the last stitch in the binding of a quilt.
When I say I worked hard on that quilt, I did and I enjoyed everything about it, even when having to unsew I am glad I caught the mistake I made.
Enjoy the doing
peace