Women are more social than men by nature. Research shows that, on average, women get through twice as many words a day as men. They also tend to be better at building relationships and sharing their feelings. Men are the opposite – uneasy with the touchy-feely stuff and happy with their own company. Two examples should make the differences clear. When guys go fishing together they can sit for hours in total silence. And while women love to chat in restrooms, men don’t - imagine a guy in a bar who turns to his buddy and says “I’m going to the toilet – want to come with me?” would get some very strange looks!

Men are therefore better predisposed to cope with social isolation. But the lockdown bit is really tough. Being stuck at home with a wife and kids, for weeks on end, and no possibility of escape, has been sheer hell for a lot of guys – they need their space. Your man might not admit it, even to himself, but part of him actually enjoys going out to work for this very reason. Time with the family is all well and good but one can have too much of a good thing!

This need for space is especially acute when a man gets stressed. And right now there’s plenty to stress him out – worries about loss of a job, business and income, fear for the health of himself and his loved ones and general uncertainty of what the future may bring. These pressures are obvious – but there’s another one that it’s easy to overlook.

One man, two bosses

A man generally has two bosses – one at work and one at home (you!). Under normal circumstances, this is not a problem, because he only has to answer to one boss at a time. But in lockdown (assuming he’s not been furloughed) he’s accountable to both at once. His boss expects him to handle the same workload as before, even though lockdown, remote working and social distancing make everything more difficult.

On top of which there’s the need for constant communication through email, messaging apps and zoom.

As if this isn’t hard enough he’s got to do it at home, surrounded by family, pets and all sorts of distractions. Instead of a dedicated work-space where he can concentrate he’s got to cope with all kinds of other activities, conversations and situations going on all around.

Then there’s his wife with a “to do” list that lockdown has just made longer. He might be expected to share the homeschooling and boredom-banishing duties, as well as being designated IT support, grocery shopping lead and general DIY, gardening, waste disposal and maintenance operative.

What we’re talking about here is multi-tasking. And men don’t do that so well. Result? Even more stress! Under normal circumstances men have a number of coping strategies then the pressure gets too much. But they’ve been denied access to them.

Bars – access denied

Men know that drinking beer with their buddies is good for their mental health. Research proves this. But who needs research? Any guy just knows it for a fact. And the therapy works even better when it occurs in a bar. A bar is like a womb with a view – a safe environment where men can open up and express their feelings amongst like-minded friends without too much fear of contradiction.

It not that men don’t have emotions – just that most of the time they like to keep them bottled up. Sometimes, however, they just have to let this stuff out – and there’s nowhere better than a bar, over a few beers, with a buddy or two.

Covid stops play

 Men are also missing their sport. Whether watching or participating, it’s a great way to release pent up physical and emotional energy. And if you are in lockdown there will be a lot of that stuff building up. What’s more, guys find it easier to express their feelings and bond with others when they’re playing on a team, or just supporting one. It goes hand in hand with the beer+bar thing.

Drinking is sure to be involved at some stage and everyone shares a similar mindset and focus – both of which make conversation a lot easier. And there’s nowhere better for watching the game than in a bar. Take away bars, take away sport, and you leave a huge hole in most men’s lives!

Father’s Day – give him some sympaTEA

Yep, dads have had it real hard – and June 21st is your chance to make them feel appreciated. It’s obviously important to get them a present. Beer is the natural choice (especially as he’ll be missing his trips to the bar). But it’s a bit predictable, right? So, may we suggest a home brew tea kit…but of a different kind.

Our Rooibos Rocks Variety Tea Sample Tin includes four flavors of refreshing tea bags. The re-usable tin has 4 pouches containing 10 teabags each of our naturally organic caffeine-free tea: Classic ruby red Natural Rooibos, light and earthy Green Rooibos, fragrant and spicy Rooibos Chai and our full bodied and floral Honeybush Tea.

Each bag brews in about 60 seconds - not 30-60 days! The brewing process itself is a lot easier than making beer. It’s also more convenient to send than a case of beer (very handy if you can’t get to see your dad on his special day). Dad can also drink as much as he wants, responsibly…and no hangover. Best of all it’s a family-friendly beverage that can be enjoyed at any age (it makes a great iced tea for little ones).

Together we can create a Moment of Calm in a World of Crazy. It’s the best way to say “Dad, you rock!”.