Stopgapping as a strategy is rather underrated. Often times, when a severely life changing event occurs, we can't immediately find a path to walk on. More often than not, we're indecisive, and torn. Indecision is one of the worst states one can be in. And in this state, a major choice might tend to cause regret and fear.
In such a case, we stopgap - we find out a minimalist set of steps so that we are not arresting all momentum, yet at the same time, give our body the time to get used to the new reality.
Let's consider an example. You were working at a job and one fine day, realize you've been laid off. Your world turns upside down. A stable income you'd planned on for years vanishes instantly. And most people don't look for jobs immediately on getting laid off. In this time, a pragmatic approach would be to do activities that can contribute to the overall financial and mental stability of your life, and at the same time, not place you under duress of rushing. In this case, you can choose to follow a daily routine of job shortlisting, meditation, and a set number of topics you upskill on each day. None of these are large enough to cause a major paradigm shift in your thinking, yet considerable enough to give you momentum at a time when you fear you've come to a standstill.
When I'd ended a serious relationship, my goals and priorities all went up in smoke. I chose to follow daily rituals of upskilling, finding a new hobby, and meditation to ensure that I was moving ahead and on, yet at the same time, not making a hard choice I'd regret.
Not all major decisions have to be that way - some, you just need time on, for new circumstances to pop through, and the best thing you can do, in the moment, is keep going, without regretting.