Are you…

…a guy with lots of spare time on your hands and life seems to lack purpose?

or

…a woman who has a man in her life with too little too keep him occupied?

 The Men’s Shed Movement may hold the answer!

An article by Kate Legge in The Weekend Australian Magazine, June 25-26, 2011 gives valuable insights into how important having a sense of purpose and connecting in friendship with other men can be for a man’s health and happiness.

Men who have felt depressed tell how working on a project in a shed shared with other guys while enjoying occasional conversation and camaraderie has helped bring sunshine and meaning to their lives.  Though guys may not communicate with the flow of words and feelings typical of women, it would seem that simply being together with other blokes, focusing on a task and talking ‘men’s talk’ can give their feel good hormones a life changing boost.

Males are testosterone driven and feel good as they expend it solving problems and meeting the challenges beyond the home. It is therefore not surprising that a man can be at a loss and stressed if he does not have a sense of purpose in his life and feel connected.  Serious depression and suicidal thoughts number amongst the debilitating outcomes men from all walks of life may experience if they are unemployed or retired…and feel isolated.

While retreating to tinker on tasks in his shed on his own has been a common pastime for men of all ages, the phenomenon of groups of mostly older men from diverse backgrounds getting together in sheds to share such experiences is recent.  It was spawned in Australia only a little more than two decades ago and is already officially becoming a movement that has more than 50,000 members and there are 545 men’s sheds in cities, towns and rural areas.

Given its apparent benefits, it is no wonder that the Men’s Shed Movement has spread to other countries.  The opportunity for friendship and purpose it offers its members is not only good for a man’s happiness and wellbeing – but also for that of the women in his life!

Interested?  To find out more visit www.menssheds.org