The divorce process can be disruptive and expensive, especially the longer it goes on. As such, you may well be hoping to navigate your own divorce as efficiently as possible. In these cases, avoiding certain decisions can help you accomplish this.
FAILING TO PICK YOUR BATTLES
If your goal is to “win” everything and not give it on any issue, you can be setting yourself up for a lengthy, contentious process.
Divorce entails negotiation and compromise. Committing to a cooperative process of give-and-take can be the way to help you reach decisions faster. Therefore, understanding that you will need to pick your battles can help move the process forward.
EXPECTING IT TO HAPPEN OVERNIGHT
Having unrealistic expectations can also create delays. For instance, if you expect your divorce to happen overnight, you can struggle to adjust to a more realistic timeline.
There is a waiting period of six months in California, which means it takes at least that long for a divorce to be final. If you do not know this, you might make unwise decisions to move things along, only to learn that you cannot finalize the divorce for six months.
Renegotiating or undoing those hasty decisions can ultimately take more time to accomplish than taking appropriate time in the first place.
CREATING CONFLICT
There can already be several points of conflict in a divorce. Creating more problems by engaging in specific actions can drag out the process. Some examples include:
- Badmouthing your ex online
- Making false accusations
- Lying about financial matters
- Refusing to engage in meaningful negotiations
These actions can create conflict, requiring more time and resources to resolve.
BEING REACTIVE INSTEAD OF PROACTIVE
While it may not be possible to anticipate every challenge that might arise during a divorce, there are matters that parties can expect to come up. If you do not take a realistic look at your situation to address possible issues and tackle them proactively, the divorce can take longer.
You need not wait to confront matters like substance abuse, parental shortcomings and financial management. You can work with your attorney to find solutions that allow you to prepare and resolve issues before they trigger disputes.
If you can avoid these common time-consuming choices, you can pursue the swift, efficient divorce you want.
