People often think about divorce as a chaotic and difficult time. They consider it a battle. They figure they're going to be fighting with their ex tooth-and-nail over time with the kids, how to divide the assets and everything else. It sounds stressful and intimidating, and they do not look forward to it.

But it doesn't have to be this way. You can actually take deliberate steps to make your divorce go smoothly, and this often has the added benefit of making it go faster and cost less money in the long run. Here are a few things that may help.

Gather as much information as you can in advance

The more you know and the more you learn, the easier this is going to go. For instance, gather the proper financial documents and learn about all the assets that your family has. You want to dig as deeply into this information as you can before you even get into court, making it easier to fight for a fair division of assets and simply to know where you stand.

Be willing to compromise with your ex

One of the main reasons that divorce cases sometimes drag on so long is because neither person is willing to compromise. And this isn't to say that you just have to give your ex their way. But you have to realize that compromises are likely going to be needed on both sides if you want this to go well, and that there is a chance neither of you are going to get everything that you want.

Try to be a team

This is especially true if you and your spouse have children together. You may be ending your marital relationship, but you still need to work as a team to get through the divorce and to set up your custody arrangement for after that divorce. Often, parents find it easiest to work together in this fashion when they focus exclusively on what is in the best interests of their children.

What comes next?

These tips can help you make the divorce go smoothly, and you also need to make sure that you know exactly what legal steps to take next.