Sam Smith is taking time off to date.

The 'Like I Can' hitmaker thinks it'll be good for him to take some time away from the music industry to ''go home and live [his] life''.

He told Entertainment Tonight: ''I've been playing now for three years nonstop. And it feels right for me to just go home and live my life - just be a 23-year-old.

''It'd be good to actually spend some time dating I think.''

And the 23-year-old star opened up about his highly-anticipated second album, insisting it won't be inspired by heartbreak like his first LP 'In The Lonely Hour'.

He shared: ''I've been inspired the whole year - my love life, and the downs and ups have never stopped - so I'm always inspired by stuff like that.

''I have been writing a little bit, and already I've found direction on what I want to say and how I want things to sound. But there's a long ways to go.''

Meanwhile, Sam recently admitted he is ''thankful'' for his sadness and believes his self-consciousness does him favours.

He shared: ''I've had an amazing life, but I think I was born with a little bit of sadness in me. I've always been attracted to those things, whether it's sad movies, sad music... when you're sad, you feel everything in a greater way than you do when you're happy. I'm a vulnerable, sensitive person.

''I overthink everything. I'm insanely self-conscious about my body, about my music, about everything in my life, and that self-consciousness is what's keeping my feet on the ground at the moment. If I didn't have it, I'd become a bit of a p***k. I'm thankful for my sadness.''