Professor Alan White, whose analysis on men, health, and sheds appeared in the British Medical Journal last week, says that for men, working in a shed can relieve stress, lower blood pressure, and boost self-esteem ... adding years to their lives."Men find doing things relaxing, and that in itself is good for their health."Europe’s Men Need Their own Health Strategy, BMJ, 29 November 2011
What are men doing in sheds?
The Telegraph says they're banging nails, welding metal, shaping wood, and disassembling/reassembling cars.
The Daily Mail says they're doing crossword puzzles.
Maybe women have already found their sheds?
"At any given age, men are still more likely than women to die from most of the leading causes, and in the European Union men have more than twice as many deaths a year as women throughout the working ages (15-64 years)."
a woman's shed, by necessity, is her kitchen.
ReplyDeleteand the laundry room.
and her sewing room (or dining room table).
oh wait, does anyone still sew?
seriously, i hated doing all the above when i was in a time crunch, but there is a certain zen to folding clothes, and baking muffins.
phone therapy with a sympathetic sister or friend, helps.
I do feel that way about the kitchen, except as you say when I have to be there! I know it's stereotypical, but, oh well. It does bring me comfort.
ReplyDeleteHere ... the gentleman sews.
ReplyDeleteI resisted, yesterday, making a comment about the kitchen and women. :)
ReplyDeleteBut in all seriousness, the kitchen is more my shed than my wife's. There are quite a few tasks I enjoy doing, so long as they are not required. That does seem to be the common theme. Elected work is relaxing work.
shaun
P.S. When I was in college, I worked part time as a janitor. Best job I've ever had. If I could making a living at it now, I would.
We have an email vote for a women's shed being the whole house. Hm ... I have to say, there are some places I will not go. That veritable cockpit of computer monitors, circuit boards, printers, scanners, wires, external drives, desktops on the desktop, desktops on the floor, wires, wires, strips&plugs of his ... I just won't go there.
ReplyDeleteJanitor, I can see the appeal. Our high school janitor was well loved. Not only was he always there to help, he had the key to everything. That key ring must have been 6 or 8 inches round!
ReplyDelete