Are you dreading the conflict that you’re bound to see in your divorce? If so, then you might be tempted to fast-track the marriage dissolution process so that you can put the matter behind you as quickly as possible and can move on to the next chapter of your life. Although that strategy might alleviate some of the immediate stress that you experience, it can also put you at a financial disadvantage, as you could be giving in on matters like property division and spousal support just to avoid conflict.
You don’t want to sacrifice your financial future and perhaps even time with your kids. But you also don’t want to deal with the stress of a highly conflictual divorce. What are you to do?
Ways to reduce conflict in your divorce
The good news is that you might be able to attain both goals. To do so, though, you’re going to have to be intentional about finding ways to reduce the tension and conflict in your divorce. Here are a few ways that you may be able to do that:
- Reduce direct communication: A lot of conflict in divorce arises from direct contact between spouses. If that’s the case for you, then you might want to think about limiting your contact with your spouse. While you’ll still have to communicate with them in some fashion to address the legal issues before you, you can use your attorney as a go-between so that you don’t have to directly deal with your spouse’s reactions.
- Strike the right tone: When you do have to communicate with your spouse, keep it professional. Giving in to personal attacks and acting on your emotions is just going to fuel the fire and make the matter more tense. Therefore, focus on making your statements brief, informative, and firm.
- Pick your battles: You don’t have to fight over everything in your divorce. In fact, doing so could create more stress than you need. So, make sure that you’re focused on the outcome that you need to be successful post-divorce so that you don’t find yourself trapped in an endless loop of arguing and fighting.
- Focus on the future: In the midst of a divorce, it can be easy to get stuck in the past. After all, your spouse may have done something that deeply wounded you. Be that as it may, you can’t dwell on the past if you want to reduce conflict and get through your divorce as strongly as possible. So, as hard as it may be, you should focus on what you need to be successful once your marriage dissolution is finalized.
- Find an outlet: Even if you follow the above-mentioned guidance, you’re still going to find yourself dealing with a variety of emotions as you navigate your divorce. You shouldn’t just bottle them up. Instead, try to find an effective outlet for your emotions. This might include seeking support from a therapist or even confiding in your family and friends.
Develop the divorce strategy that’s right for you
There are a lot of different ways to approach your divorce. You have to find the strategy that works best for you. To figure that out, it might be wise for you to discuss the circumstances of your marriage and its dissolution with an attorney who is competent and confident in this area of the law. Hopefully, then you can rest easy knowing that you can reduce the tension in your divorce while still protecting your interests.
