[zapperdapper]

I agree that this "meaning" is a hard thing to put your finger on.

But you know it when you see it.

I think it's maybe not so much about the actual work as how you feel about the work. I have worked on side projects that are not too dissimilar to the day job, but have felt far more meaningful to me - it's sometimes hard to define exactly why though! I used to think it was about helping others, and it is true that does feel meaningful, but I think there's more to it than that.