Divorce is almost always an emotionally charged experience. In fact, it is one of the most stressful things a person can endure. However, with a few simple tips, you can not only get through it but get through it with grace, so you can move forward with the next chapter in your life.
Below is a list of some self-care tips that will help get you through your divorce:
- Stay active: During a divorce, it can be easy to feel down and low in energy, which might lend itself to you leading an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. Unfortunately, this is only going to make you feel less good about yourself. Not only will staying active keep you busy, but it will also release endorphins. Whether you enjoy running, dancing, lifting weights, or playing a sport, get up and get moving.
- Maintain a healthy diet: How you treat your body will have a big impact on the state of your mind, so in addition to staying active, you should also eat healthy foods. It is easier to feel more positive when you physically feel good, so do not neglect your diet or activity level.
- Get enough rest: If you have ever had to go through a few nights without enough rest, you are likely aware of just how off a person can feel when not clocking in enough hours of sleep. You might feel irritable, unable to focus, and depressed. Even if it is difficult to get the requisite amount of shut-eye you need to carry on with your day, it is imperative that you do your best to try.
- Take breaks when you need them: Whatever your schedule is like, make sure you take little breaks when you need them to give yourself a mood boost. Even if you only have time to take a five-minute walk to get some fresh air, do it. Sometimes that is all you need for a reset.
- Spend your time wisely: A divorce can take up a lot of time, whether you are collecting pertinent documents, consulting with your attorney, or attending court or mediation sessions, you might not have a lot of free time on your hands. Make sure you spend the free time that you do have in a way that does not add to your stress. This is the time to really evaluate the value to you of many activities that you might normally do, and may add back in again later, but for now, you should cut out. Maybe you serve on several committees, this may be the time to cut back to one committee that is really important to you.
- Spend money wisely: No matter what your financial situation is, a divorce is going to cost you since you will have to divide your marital assets and go through the process. Make sure to spend your money wisely at this time. We often justify being self-indulgent as self-care, but if after the self-indulgence is done, and you are left with bills that you cannot pay, it just adds more stress than the self-indulgence took away. Many times people do not adjust their budgets but continue to spend at the same level, which just results in more debt. Sometimes you can’t get out of that car payment, but you might decide that stopping for a latte every morning, and going out to dinner 4 times a week is not part of the new budget.
- Ask for help when you need to: It might not always be easy to lean on others or ask for help, but sometimes it is necessary, so do not feel bad if you need to ask your friends or family members for support. This may be as simple as inviting someone over for dinner on the weekends when the house feels empty because the kids are with the other parent, or it may be asking them to listen when you are feeling frustrated and need a safe person to vent to.
- Do something nice for yourself: Take a day to relax or go to the movies. Do something nice for yourself that will make you happy. Just remember to keep within your budget! Doing nice things for yourself does not necessarily mean that it needs to be expensive.
Tigard Divorce Attorney
If you and your spouse can no longer make your marriage work, you should reach out to the skilled family law attorneys at Rose L. Hubbard, Attorneys at Law.
Call our law office today at (503) 743-0185 to request a consultation!