Since the pandemic began, many people have only seen their friends and family on video calls or at a distance. While seeing others at a safe distance or on video may help, it is not a perfect substitute for being with others in person. With the upcoming holiday season, we are probably a little more frustrated than usual that we won't be able to be with our loved ones and friends. If you feel this way, new research indicates that our reaction may be more than just a psychological one, but may actually be biological, too.

Living a purposeful life is often described as whether or not we engage in meaningful, nontrivial activities in our daily life (Scheier et al., 2006). The assumption behind this description is that when we are guided by purpose, we allocate resources and organize activities in a way that move us towards our goal. So, how do we do this? How do we live more purposefully on a daily basis?

With Thanksgiving and the beginning of the holiday season, we are constantly reminded to turn our attention toward celebrating the good things in our lives with family and friends. However, this year will be different. Most of the things we have done in the past will drastically change. Because of this, many of us might be having difficulty finding reasons to feel grateful. With this in mind, I decided to share a personal story to offer a little inspiration.

Many of us are now working at home, saving hours of commuting time. Think about it, how much time are you saving each day? To find out just how much time we’re saving and what we’re doing with this time, researchers surveyed 10,000 Americans earlier this year. What they found out was quite interesting.