Absolutely agree with giving yourself time.
I would definitely not go on a date with someone who'd not been divorced and on his own for some time.
Those who say they are separated but it's been ages since it was working and all that...well, sadly, not all but quite a few of those gents are lying and they've no plans to divorce. It's a ploy to troll for sex.
Also, those newly divorced gents are almost never looking for anything serious, no matter how many times they may say they are. If you are fine with casual dating and maybe even long-term shagging and hanging out, fine. But very rarely would this lead to something permanent unless they'd already been seeing you (cheating) whilst married and had feelings for you already.
For your sake...I would wait and take it easy. I would not date unless you were ready to get your feelings engaged...and that might be quite a while. Most men say (honestly) it took them about 3 years to get over their divorce fully once the ink was dry. No matter what the situation. They're emotional loose cannons looking to dip their wick in the meantime. Women too can be emotional loose cannons at this time, and whilst you're vulnerable is not the time to put yourself in the line of fire.
If I were you, I'd definitely not date anyone separated or just divorced. To be honest, 9 of 10 (or more) gents want sex after a handful of dates or a handful of weeks, and really they are getting boatloads more out of it than women until and unless anything more ever comes of it. Most men say they really don't know for certain if they love a woman or not till about 6 mos down the road -- and I believe that's honest...love takes time. But in the meantime, most men will not ever love the majority of the women they have sex with...(we can do the numbers). In the meantime, they mostly want to road test you sexually and almost no one is willing to get to know you as you are before demanding sex. This has put me off relationships with most men since I don't care to be road-tested by a hand that doesn't love me and may never do.
Having come off a divorce, you and all women need to be treated well and not come in for more grief and hassle. In order to take care of herself, though, a woman today needs to understand that most men today view relationships casually and mainly for sex and easy affection, and usually nothing more, ever. You are there to be used and to meet their needs...even if it may disturb some men when they realise that they've had to lie to themselves and deny that your needs are greater than this and you didn't want just to shag for weeks and months in a loveless arrangement going nowhere, LOL.
So, frankly, most men don't have much to offer a mature woman aside from a penis, which is revolting without his authentic love. Unless they DO take the time to get to know you...and CAN rise to a true partnership, in which case they DO have something to offer you. But that can only be known the old-fashioned way, slowly, over time, day-to-day.
So I'd probably take it easy and not get out there right away anyway, but rather give myself time off as well...and explore all those things I'd not had time to do before
Time off for yourself will only give you better perspective when you do meet someone, and you will be able to better assess his sincerity earlier on...and whether he is really interested in getting to know you as person first and foremost, and whether he's truly interested in a partnership with YOU. Rather than just having a sexual relationship or arrangement with you.
Peace & blessings
7L