We know that your divorce is a tumultuous time of transition. You may feel that you have a million things you have to take care of. At the same time, you are trying to meet your children’s needs while also trying to deal with your own emotions.
There are times that it can feel overwhelming. For this reason, it is essential that you put aside some time to care for yourself and look after your own needs. According to the University of Florida, there are self-care activities that can be beneficial to you. However, there are other activities that you should avoid, at least temporarily, as they can do more harm than good at this time.
What you should do
You need to find time to relax and do activities that you enjoy. This works as a pressure valve of sorts to relieve the stress that the divorce inevitably causes you. You should make time to spend with loved ones having fun. Not only is this a form of stress relief, but it also helps to strengthen your support system so that it will be there when you need it. You should confide your difficulties to a counselor or other trusted third party.
What you should avoid
Be careful to avoid any self-destructive activities. Do not deny the pain that you are going through. Rather, acknowledge the process and the emotions it causes. Move forward from the relationship and do not keep obsessing about what went wrong. It is too late to go back and fix it, so this is an exercise in futility. It may be tempting to turn to negative coping mechanisms, such as substance abuse. Substitute these with positive coping mechanisms, such as eating right, exercising and taking up a new hobby instead. If you already have an existing substance use disorder, seek treatment.