> I think work is supposed to be hard and tiring

I suppose that depends on what kind of work you are talking about and your perspective on what different kinds of work really are.

I wouldn't consider "The thing i do so me and my family don't starve" to have an inherent need to be hard or tiring.

Whereas "The thing i do to fill up my time with something i feel is meaningful" might have a hard and/or tiring component, but only if you personally feel like the hard/tiring part is required.

Things can be rewarding without being draining and value is subjective.