Life support: How to be single

Hold your head up

Remember that being single is your choice, and that those who question it (with sympathy in their eyes) are often just bored married types looking for some vicarious excitement. Don't buy into the popular myth that single equals sad: when even the beautiful, rich, talented Jennifer Aniston is pitied for not being in a relationship, you know something has gone wrong.

Spend time with singles

There is no need to ditch all your coupled-up friends, but if your closest mates prefer staying in and snuggling up to going out, it might be time to expand your social circle. Surround yourself with other 'singles' to avoid depressive nights in alone, ill-thought out desperado dates or worse – third wheeling. Creating a network of reliables will ensure you don't end up sitting at home playing on your Xbox for hours on end, stalking your exes on Facebook, or sinking pots of chocolate chip ice cream

Keep busy

Being single means that you are likely to have a lot of time on your hands; so do something interesting with it. You don't have to waste your post-work moments embarrassing yourself in a game of tennis doubles, or spending Saturdays loitering outside changing rooms while your other half tries on countless dresses; instead, you can satisfy your long-held interest in pottery glazing, poetry or model aircraft, without compromise or complaint. Keeping busy is key to enjoying the single life, as the less time you spend wallowing in your lonesome pity, the better.

Flirt

Single people can flirt with abandon without worrying about getting in trouble with their other halves. Flirting builds confidence and reminds you that you are an attractive, sexual person – important when it might be a while since you last had sex. Speaking of which, it's worth remembering that long droughts can seriously impair a single person's judgement...