You might be the type of person who always tries to avoid conflict. It’s logical to assume there are many people in Texas with similar habits. Perhaps, when you decided to divorce, you worried that you and your spouse would end up tangled in a lengthy court battle.
If you are parents, there are issues you and your spouse must resolve before you can achieve a fair settlement. However, that doesn’t necessarily have to mean you will be at each other’s throats during proceedings. You can use negotiation skills to minimize conflict resolution stress.
Keep this in mind when you negotiate
It’s not uncommon if spouses disagree as they work out terms of agreements in divorce. The following list includes practical ways to keep stress as low as possible:
- Avoid trigger topics that spark emotional outbursts. If there are issues you must resolve that you don’t feel equipped to handle on your own, you can ask someone to advocate on your behalf.
- Try to seek common ground, even if you and your spouse disagree. Rather than view divorce as a win/lose situation, aim for solutions that are fair and agreeable to both sides.
- Avoid rushing negotiations just because you don’t want to spend a lot of time with your ex. It’s always best to take your time to make sure you can accomplish your goals.
- Never assume that the other party understands what is being said or written. Always have every term read aloud and make sure both sides clearly understand and agree to a proposed solution.
Divorce is never easy, but it’s often possible to resolve your differences without contention. Practicing peaceful negotiation skills ahead of time goes a long way toward obtaining an amicable settlement. You may have extenuating issues that require a judge’s intervention to determine a solution to a particular problem; however, you can still apply useful negotiation skills to help you stay calm and focused as litigation takes place.
Many Texas parents obtain legal support before heading to court to litigate child custody, property division or other sensitive issues. Allowing someone who is well-versed in divorce laws to do the talking for you in court helps streamline proceedings in a more productive manner with less stress. Remember that the goal of negotiating is to work together to resolve conflict and come up with a plan that helps everyone come to terms with divorce and move on in life with as little disruption as possible.
