A pending divorce can become so overwhelming, it threatens to sabotage all aspects of life, including career.To maintain your professional life despite your personal problems, you'll need to prioritize at work in ways you might not have done before.

Some career tips from the experts:

1. Keep your divorce private. Avoid telling anyone at work unless they need to know for business reasons. "Keep your personal life to yourself. That will make it much easier to leave your divorce stress out of the office," says Tina B. Tessina, a licensed psychotherapist.

2. Separate work life from home life. "When you get in your car at home, shut the car door on the divorce -- give yourself that drive time to escape the divorce problems," Tessina says. "When you leave work, shut the work door on work problems, and don't take them home. If you compartmentalize like this, you'll get some relief and your problems won't overlap."

3. Schedule court dates around work. "You don't want to miss any more work than you have to. The good news is you may not have to," says Nancy J. Dreeben, a matrimonial and family attorney. "Judges recognize that people need to work. ... If there is a legitimate reason to put the case on the 3 p.m. calendar as opposed to the 9:30 a.m. calendar, a judge is likely to do so."

4. Give fair notice when you have to miss work. Most court dates are arranged at least one month in advance, Dreeben says. "Offer to make up your time before the court date. ... You need the money and your employer needs you."

5. Try to settle your case. "Taking time off for a trial will be financially devastating for you and your employer. If you must try your case, then try to schedule it during your vacation time," Dreeben says.

6. Don't talk to your lawyer at work. "When you speak with your attorney, you should be in a private place and be able to concentrate," says Dreeben.

7. Don't talk to your soon-to-be ex at work. "Often these conversations are volatile, which may cause you to become emotional and may negatively impact your concentration and work product. Employers do not need or want emotional wrecks at work," Dreeben says.

8. Use your office computer only for work. Your hard drives could be sought for discovery purposes during the divorce proceedings. Your boss will not take kindly to having company equipment seized.

9. Consider cry breaks. By lunchtime, consider taking a 3-minute cry break, says LeslieBeth Wish, a psychologist. "Go into a bathroom stall or go sit in your car and have a little cry. Crying out your hurt rids your body of stress toxins."