Few divorces are enjoyable, yet some are much less traumatic than others. Some of that comes down to what you do during the divorce and some to what you did before.

For example, a prenuptial agreement allows you to pre-determine many of the financial decisions you will need to make should your marriage end in divorce.

Only use the D-word when you mean it

Divorce is something you should take time to think about, so do not risk talking about it until you have had time to envision how the future would work.

Some spouses throw the word “divorce” around, using it to threaten their spouse into acting in a certain way. Yet you could find your spouse taking you at your word, moving to end the marriage themselves, and blindsiding your bluff. That could leave you panicking and at a serious disadvantage in preparing for the divorce.

Discussing marital problems when they arise is also good practice. If you are already used to resolving issues by talking, it should make discussing how you will handle matters such as custody and property division easier. If you have always fought over problems, you can expect your divorce to be long and litigious.

Hindsight is great, but what if we are already decided to divorce?

If you have already opted for the final solution, then focus on making it as smooth and efficient as possible. You need to accept you must compromise on some things. Take time to consider what is really important to you and what boundaries you are unwilling to cross. To do this, you need to find out more about the laws that regulate divorce.