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Handling Stress From Divorce D...

Handling Stress From Divorce During Covid-19

  • April 14, 2020

Everyone can agree, the current state of the world is depressing and unsettling. We may wonder, how can this possibly be any worse? Maybe if you were going through a divorce only to find it has to be put on hold due to COVID-19. With the Hudson Valley (and most of the world as we know it) in lock-down mode, courts closed, papers unable to be filed… If you have children—you are knee-deep in homeschooling and depending where you are in the divorce process, you may still be living with your soon to be ex.

10 things you can do to help keep your stress level down:

  1. Take care of YOU when you can. Unplug, go for a walk, do a group zoom with friends, listen to music. Carve out time for things you enjoy doing for you.
  2. Make a list of things you want to accomplish around the house, or personally. Paint a wall a new color, learn a new language, take an online course on search engine optimization.
  3. Watch your spending. Being home, online shopping is a great escape, but we recommend hanging onto your funds for the uncertainty of what the future holds. Try and resist spending unnecessarily. Once divorced, your household income will likely change considerably.
  4. If you have an attorney many are offering virtual meetings to keep your divorce on track. Stenger, Glass, Hagstrom, Lindars & Iuele LLP has been working remotely with clients since before the shutdown, helping with questions, paperwork and next steps.
  5. If you are seeing a therapist, see if they offer virtual meetings as well.
  6. Consider creating a routine with your spouse so each of you can get a break for work and/or personal time throughout the day.
  7. If you are not living together anymore and you have children, get on the same page with how you plan on quarantining them. Will one person keep them? How you will transport them? Who does the other one come in contact with when your kids are not around?
  8. Plan for anything and everything. Will covid-19 affect your job and income? What can you do now to plan for living expenses post-divorce? Where will you live? How much will your monthly expenses change and how? Start updating your financial documents.
  9. Think clearly and prioritize what’s important. Take steps to protect the health and safety of yourself, your children and your family.
  10. Take a deep breath. You will get through this. Don’t react out of emotion to the situation.

At Stenger, Diamond & Glass LLP, we are prepared for anything. We help New York families through their most difficult times, protecting your rights and the people you love. Contact us if you need anything.

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