According to a recent study in the Psychological Bulletin, the mental strain related to difficult tasks usually results in stress and frustration. Published recently, the study emphasizes how more mental work corresponds with more negative feelings, including anger and annoyance. 

Senior researcher Erik Bijleveld, an associate professor of psychology at Radboud University in the Netherlands, underlined the relevance of these results for experts in many spheres. "This is important for professionals, such as engineers and teachers, to consider when designing tasks and tools," Bijleveld added. "It is imperative to provide enough support or rewards when people are expected to put forth major mental effort." 

Comprising 4,670 individuals from a variety of backgrounds, including healthcare professionals, military personnel, amateur sports, and college students from 29 countries, the evaluation examined 170 research projects carried out between 2019 and 2020. The trials included more than 350 distinct mental challenges, ranging from mastering new technology to practising sports or virtual reality gaming. 

Results show that although strong mental effort might cause unpleasant emotions, this effect differs depending on the area. Asian nations have less of a correlation between mental exertion and discomfort than European countries and North America. Researchers propose that different educational backgrounds and resilience to mental stress could help to explain this disparity. 

People nevertheless participate in mentally taxing activities despite their pain, maybe because of their rewards. "For example, why do millions of people play chess?" Bijlevent asked. "People can discover that in particular pursuits, mental effort might result in really big benefits. This does not suggest, nevertheless, that they like the mental work itself." 

Bijleveld counsels managers and teachers to rethink how they handle challenging assignments. "Although our findings imply differently, it would seem that workers and students value mentally demanding tasks. People often dislike mental work," he said.