Five ways to put your career first after your divorce

Divorcing your spouse can have a significant impact on other areas of life. In this article, you’ll find five ways to not let your divorce get in the way of your career, so you can put your career first.

For some people, divorce means knuckling down and focusing on building your career. After all, work can come as a welcome distraction from this life change. But, for others, divorce might mean something completely different, as family feuds and lawyers get in the way of everything else.

The task of dividing finances after divorce, as well as child custody battles, can often come with substantial complications. For spouses with children, those children’s needs come first, and this could mean the person with whom the children primarily live with could require more money in the financial settlement.

We believe divorce shouldn’t take a toll on your career. For this reason, we’ve provided five ways to not let your divorce get in the way of your working life. Keeping reading to learn five tips that might just help you do this.

1) Return to work 

The first step you can make to not let your divorce get in between you and your career is by returning to work. Some people choose to become stay at home parents when they marry and begin a family, and that’s completely okay. But, coming out of a marriage can prompt you into wanting to do something with your time, such as investing in your career. 

Whether you start with something small, such as a part-time role in something you’re interested in or delving yourself further into a full-time role, it’s up to you. Either way, it’s sure to give you a new lease of life.

2) Increase your working hours 

If you were working a part-time job, so you have more time to care for the children, it might be a good time to increase your working hours from part-time to full time. Not only will this bring you more money each month, but it also will help to improve your experience in the field you work in. It’ll also provide many other benefits, such as paid sick leave, retirement plans, and more.

Moving from part-time to full-time can benefit you and your loved ones in the future, such as being able to provide more details on your CV and cover letters for future jobs you might be interested in applying for.

3) Embark on a new career path 

If you have always wanted to go down a different route to the one you are currently in, or if you have been a stay-at-home parent and your spouse worked instead, now’s the time to change. After your divorce could be the perfect time to indulge in your interests or something different. Prospect.ac.uk provides advice on making a career change, for anyone interested.

If your children are at the school age or you have a brilliant support network, such as parents, siblings, and friends who are willing to chip in and help, then it may be an opportunity to put your career first, especially as you’ll have the time to fully invest in it.

Previously careers were driven by men, but so many females are no longer staying at home; they’re going out and accomplishing their career dreams. Employers recognise this and understand that employees have children, whether they are male or female. For this reason, so many are easygoing and can be flexible with working hours to suit these needs. 

4) Think of your finances 

Understandably finances can become an issue after divorce. For this reason, it’s important not to let the divorce and the feelings that follow it get in the way of your career. 

Dividing finances after divorce might allow you to receive money that will financially support you. But, if you were the main bread earner and your children (if applicable) chose or were ordered to live with your spouse, you might be responsible for paying a larger sum of your assets, in addition to child maintenance support, and this could leave you out of pocket. 

For this reason, it’s important to think of your finances. You can do this by:

  • Focusing on your career
  • Asking for pay rises
  • Going for promotions
  • Increasing your hours, such as going full time or doing overtime
  • Moving to a new job and/or role which pays better

5) Invest in education 

If you decide to choose a new career path or begin working again, you might be required to have qualifications. Some people presume the older you become, the less entitled you are to receive education, and this is completely wrong.

Not everyone knows how life will pan out or the type of career they desire early on. So, you should always be entitled to receive education no matter the age. One Wingate Way provides an article about the importance of education for adults, whether you have a career or not.

Don’t let divorce affect your career

It’s easy to let your divorce overwhelm your emotions, but sometimes you need to pick yourself up from the pit, brush the dust off your knees, and push through the emotions. 

We, along with most others, recognise that, when divorce is fresh, it’s going to feel like your world has fallen apart and will never get better. But, we can promise you that it will, and putting your emotions into something else, such as your career, will assist in you feeling better and coming to terms with your new singleton life. 

Not letting your divorce get in the way of your career will open many prospects, such as money growth, meeting new peers, and more. How have you put your career first after divorce?

Photo by Kelly Sikkema