As the pandemic lifts and a return to normal looks inevitable, there are some habits we should carry from our lockdown lives into our post-pandemic world. “During the shutdown, we went from an emphasis on external factors, such as going to a job or attending events, to a more internal focus,” Michelle Wax, the founder of American Happiness Project, a provider of corporate mental health programs, says. “With more time at home, many of us had a shift in priorities. We re-evaluated how we wanted to be present in day-to-day life.” One of the most important ways to do this was to approach our life intentionally. With no commute, mornings started more on our terms. And despite returning to an office, this ritual can be carried over. Ask yourself, what can I look forward to today? What has the potential to cause me stress? How do I want to feel at the end of the day? Additionally, during the pandemic, many learned the importance of taking breaks. “The act of stepping away from the computer and phone and being able to be with nature for a five-minute walk around the block is a powerful mind and body reset,” she says. “You come back to work feeling rejuvenated to continue the day.”