Your social life is defined as “the activities you do with other people, for pleasure, when you are not working”. It’s important to have a social life, but what’s right for one person won’t be right for another. Some of us feel energised by spending lots of time with others,【C1】________some of us may feel drained, even if it’s doing something we enjoy.

This is why finding a【C2】_____in your social life is key. Spending too much time on your own, not【C3】__others, can make you feel lonely and【C4】__. Loneliness is known to impact on your mental health and【C5】__a low mood. Anyone can feel lonely at any time. This might be especially true if,【C6】__, you are working from home and you are【C7】__on the usual social conversations that happen in an office. Other life changes can【C8】_____periods of loneliness too, such as retirement, changing jobs or becoming a parent.

It’s important to recognise these feelings of loneliness. There are ways to【C9】_____a social life, but it can feel overwhelming【C10】__. It’s a great idea to start by thinking about hobbies you enjoy. You can then find groups and activities related to those where you will be able to meet【C11】__people. There are groups aimed at new parents, at those who want to【C12】__a new sport for the first time, or networking events for those in the same profession to meet up and【C13】_____ideas.

On the other hand, it’s【C14】_____possible to have too much of a social life. If you feel like you’re always doing something and there is never any【C15】__in your calendar for downtime, you could suffer social burnout or social【C16】__. We all have our own social limit and it’s important to recognise when you’re feeling like it’s all too much. Low mood, low energy, irritability and trouble sleeping could all be【C17】__of poor social health. Make sure you【C18】__some time in your diary when you’re【C19】__for socialising and use this time to relax,【C20】_____and recover.

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