As a leading retailer of DIY tools and building supplies, Toolstation has conducted new research into the relationship between stress and DIY work. The study used sentiment analysis of 100,000 DIY comments on Reddit to identify the tasks users find most stressful. We also collaborated with clinical psychologist Dr. Gurpreet Kaur to explain how people can reduce stress when working on projects.
10 Most Stressful DIY Tasks
Data shows homeowners are most excited when installing new flooring, with this daunting task taking the top spot as the most stressful DIY task.
Number two and three are carpet cleaning and carpet removal, which are definitely the more difficult tasks. Damp repairs come in fourth place, followed by plumbing leaks and roof repairs. Home security measures such as installing locks and surveillance cameras also evoke negative emotions among homeowners and result in high stress scores. Rounding out the issue is drainage issues and installing new doors in spots 9 and 10.
rank | DIY tasks | Number of fear expressions | Number of angry expressions | total number of emotions | stress count | stress rate | Most stressful score (out of 100) |
1 | installation of new floor | 2,212 | 1,880 | 26,432 | 4,092 | 15% | 91 |
2 | carpet cleaning | 1,470 | 1,668 | 16,490 | 3,138 | 19% | 88 |
3 | carpet removal | 1,128 | 1,094 | 12,008 | 2,222 | 19% | 76 |
Four | fix moisture | 1,296 | 1,214 | 16,360 | 2,510 | 15% | 71 |
Five | Piping leak | 1,189 | 915 | 12,781 | 2,104 | 16% | 69 |
6 | roof repair | 1,148 | 1,116 | 14,631 | 2,264 | 15% | 68 |
7 | home security | 930 | 735 | 92,13 | 1,665 | 18% | 68 |
8 | General maintenance | 870 | 765 | 10,239 | 1,635 | 16% | 62 |
9 | drainage problems | 430 | 360 | 4,372 | 790 | 18% | 57 |
Ten | installing a new door | 864 | 689 | 11,394 | 1,553 | 14% | 55 |
(Source; Reddit sentiment analysis, 2023)
The average homeowner can find these tasks especially stressful because many of them require specialized tools and a high level of expertise. If the thought of a major DIY job daunts you and you don't have the right tools or skillset, it's much better to rely on a trusted contractor than to struggle at home. Not only will your tasks be completed faster and with less stress, but your projects will be completed to a professional standard.
How to tell if a DIY project is causing you too much stress or anxiety
Dr. Gurpreet said: “While DIY projects can be fulfilling and empowering, they can also come with high levels of stress. Learn about common signs of stress and anxiety so you can manage them more effectively. It's good to get into the habit of recognizing symptoms.
“While the signs and symptoms of stress vary from person to person, psychologists recommend that people pay attention to four key areas:
1. Physical changes such as increased heart rate, shortness of breath, feeling of pressure, and tension.
2. Changes in behavior, such as avoiding things, smoking, eating or drinking more or less than usual.
3. Emotional changes. Feeling more intense or more “zoned out” than usual.
4. Changes in thinking in terms of what you are thinking and how much you are thinking. If you notice a change, it's important to trace it back to when it first started happening and find the triggering event that triggered the change. ”
How to manage stress while DIY according to a psychologist
Dr. Gurpreet said: “Learning how to deal with stress is a skill that can be honed over time. A very important aspect in this regard is recognizing when stress is building up. Thoughts, Feelings, Behavior , it can be helpful to learn how to do this by noticing changes in your body. It may be helpful to think back to when you experienced stress before and think about how that stress manifested.
“The most important thing to remember is that when we are stressed, our brains are likely in threat mode, which prompts our fight, flight, freeze, or placate responses. Learning how to intervene in this problem by taking deep breaths, taking a break from a walk, talking or laughing with a loved one, or reviewing and challenging negative thoughts can help calm stress. Masu. “The best thing to work on first is to train your brain how to relax your body, turn off your threat response and switch back on to safe mode. This will help get more oxygen into your bloodstream. , you can do this by slowing down your breathing. The 4-4-8 method is an easy-to-learn technique to solve this. Breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds. While trying not to tense your body, Hold your breath for 4 seconds, then breathe out through your mouth for 8 seconds, as if you were breathing through a straw. Repeat this 5 to 10 times to help your mind relax.”
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