“When I hear ‘going back to the office,’ all I can think about is my team members who have moved out of the city to work remotely,” my client Norah, a pharmaceutical executive who manages a large team, recently told me. Many employees who adjusted their lifestyles during the pandemic, sometimes by moving away from their physical workplace, are understandably feeling anxious when asked to return to the physical office. The perceived loss of the flexibility that comes with a virtual lifestyle is often at the core of this anxiety.

When I asked Norah some questions about specific fears or needs of her team members who hadn’t moved away, her answer was surprising. “Well, it’s definitely not COVID related,” she told me. “All of us are vaccinated, and wearing a mask is a personal choice that is respected. So, frankly, I’m just not sure what the problem is.”

The truth is that Norah’s team members may not even know what the issue is themselves. When we abruptly transitioned to remote work at the beginning of the pandemic, it was a big adjustment. We had to scramble to re-create the type of structure that allowed us to be productive while working from home. In the process, we picked up new hobbies and grew closer to our families. We discovered our suppressed personal needs—those we knew we had but never found time to honor, like taking a stroll in the park on a sunny Friday afternoon, as well as others we never knew we had, such as making homemade cheese or picking up a side gig of tutoring science students.

If you’re feeling anxious about returning to the office, start by asking yourself what “going back to the office” really means to you. Do you feel somehow that “going back” means losing something? That it requires you to revert back to the person you were before the pandemic, giving up the growth you enjoyed along the way? What is at stake here for you? Your sense of freedom, newly acknowledged needs, new skills, lifestyle preferences, more family time?

Whatever it is, you need to define it to understand it. Clearly define why it is hard to think about “going back.” If you are afraid of losing something, figure out what that something is. For example, if this is about giving up that afternoon walk you’re now enjoying in place of a daily commute, you need to acknowledge that. There is likely more than one factor at play, so be prepared to do some digging.

Do this even if you believe your particular situation is unsolvable. Most people believe they are dealing with impenetrable dilemmas when in fact they are simply not seeing potential options from where they stand.

Once you’ve figured out why you’re feeling anxious about returning to the office, it’s time to figure out a solution.

1.    Is there a different way to look at the situation? If you tend to think in absolute terms and view “back to the office” as a negative development, try searching for positives instead. These could include in-person coffee with coworkers, face-to-face meetings with your mentor, or a live presentation at a senior meeting that makes a great impression. Creating a list of pros and cons to further elucidate the positives as well as the negatives makes it easier to see which issues are real and require attention and which issues are really not issues at all.

2.    Identify your options. Some of the options may not seem perfect, but it is only fair that you acknowledge them. For example, you could acknowledge that you have the option of simply going back to work and giving up your afternoon walk.

3.    What is the smallest step you could take towards a solution? It may be scheduling a conversation with your boss or an HR partner or asking your family members for support to help you manage that side gig. Or perhaps it is about examining your meeting schedule to see if there is an opportunity to streamline. Could you reduce your meeting time to free up the 30 minutes for a Friday afternoon walk? Think creatively.

4.    Finally, take action. Schedule that one-on-one with your manager or sit down with your executive assistant to go over your existing meetings and streamline your schedule. You will be glad you did.

After following these steps, you may still struggle with your situation. After all, the concept of “going back to the office” and the promise (or terror) of a hybrid workplace is new for most. So, have the courage to ask for help, even if you generally prefer to tackle things on your own. You are very likely to get some advice, an idea, or a helpful tip if you ask.