You are asking a very good question, and one that requires more of an answer than I can provide in a letter. Also, you did not indicate ages of your child(ren).
Keep in mind that Joint Custody isn't perfect. It's actually the lesser of two hard choices. It is better, in practically any divorce situation, for a child to have easy access to the other parent. The first year of Joint Custody will have lots of glitches, but that doesn't mean it isn't working. And you'll find that your arrangements change every year or two anyway unless one parent makes him or herself scarce.
Truly, all I know from my divorce on this topic is in my book Divorce Book For Parents. This is a big and important topic, and the questions you asked are the ones I address in my book. You should be able to find it at your local library.