The end of a marriage is rarely met with joy and celebration. Even if it is the best course of action for you, your spouse, and your children, navigating the divorce process is still stressful. It will be even more stressful when issues are contentious or there are disputes about finances.
Maintaining your mental, physical, and financial well-being is more important than ever when going through a divorce. Kiplinger offers the following tips, to ensure you can keep your head about you from start to finish.
Establish a budget
Your financial status is bound to change after divorce, and being aware of any changes at the forefront will make your life so much easier. Sit down and review your current income, assets, debts, and another financial matters. From there, establish how much money you will need to pay mortgage/rent, cover daily expenses, etc. While it can be intimidating having less money than you did previously, you must know where you stand so you can take care of yourself.
Consider seeing a counselor or therapist
While financial health is important in life, mental wellness is equally so. Seeing a counselor or therapist is recommended so you can sort out your feelings about the divorce and the demise of your marriage. Counselors serve as impartial parties that can help you put things in perspective, which is very insightful when you have misgivings about what occurred or the role you played in it.
Maintain your physical health
Do not forget to keep up your physical health during your divorce. If you do not currently have an exercise regimen in place, start one. Exercise is great for releasing tension and keeping your mind occupied when you are stressed. You should also focus on eating a healthy diet and getting enough sleep each night. Now more than ever you must take care of yourself so you can make clear-headed, rational decisions going forward.
