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You can gain a lot from outside activities such as sports, charity work or playing an instrument. You can develop skills that not only help you get a job or promotion, but also improve your personal wellbeing.

Top tips to take away

• Having your own projects outside of work can help develop new skills. Whether the projects are directly related to you career or not, they can help you develop transferable skills to take back to the workplace. Plus, it’s always good to have something you’re passionate about outside of the daily grind
• Volunteering or working in the community allows you to meet people from different backgrounds, help others less fortunate and feel good about yourself. You’re also building social and people skills that you can use in work
• Playing sports or going to the gym isn’t just about exercise - it can also help build resilience and teamwork. Even if you’re on a losing team, don’t sweat it - you’ve built perseverance skills by carrying on
• Activities you do outside of work - from demonstrating you can work under pressure to being organised - can make you more employable, and help you progress in the workplace.

If you need support

You should always tell someone about the things you’re worried about. You can tell a friend, parent, guardian, teacher, or another trusted adult. If you're struggling with your mental health, going to your GP can be a good place to start to find help. Your GP can let you know what support is available to you, suggest different types of treatment and offer regular check-ups to see how you’re doing.

If you’re in need of in-the-moment support you can contact , where you can speak to a counsellor. Their lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

There are more links to helpful organisations on ����ý Action Line.