Forty minutes at 65 mph. That was how every morning, for years, began. A cortisol-fueled commute from one desk to another. It not only felt completely normal, I welcomed it. I thought of it as “me time.” A buffer. A routine to set my state of mind.

When the pandemic hit, and that commute went away, I actually missed it — this time between kids and meetings. So I created a new one.

I went for a walk.

After the kids left for daycare and before I was expected on-screen, I pulled on my sneakers, popped in my earbuds and went out for my new mental commute. Forty-minutes, just like before. I listened to podcasts and books on tape or caught up with calls, just like before. But now, with the trees overhead to start my workday, something changed.

Research has shown that time spent in nature not only makes us feel good, it actually makes our brain work better. It’s calming. It’s grounding. It’s productive.

As someone who has struggled with too much striving, it felt antithetical to admit that slowing down could help me do more. Yet, here was the evidence, right beneath my feet. After every walk, ideas started flowing. My energy was different — less harried, more enthusiastic. I felt more creative. Excited. Nicer. Me, but better.

The end of the pandemic we’ve all prayed for is right around the corner. And with it comes the calls back to “normal.” Back to in-person meetings, just a short drive away.

But as much as I’m looking forward to emerging from the fear and getting back to connectedness, there is so much we’ve gained that we shouldn’t leave behind.

New ways of working, new ways of thinking, new ways of being. New technologies for living, starting with a good long walk.