I have been in both positions (VFR + IFR) No way in the coldest part of hell does a VFR pilot have a greater workload than an IFR pilot, single or mulit crew (exception skydiving)
You can't compare IFR with VFR as far as the workload goes re weather etc (ulness the VFR driver has foud himself in the soup)
You guys need to move north. Having spent 35 years flying a mix of VFR and IFR in singles and twins, mostly single pilot, I gotta say that IMHO, 98% of the time, IFR is way less stressful (easier?) than VFR.
The other 2% is made up of the days when it is socked in to the deck for hundreds of miles around and the rain is hitting the aeroplane so hard that you think its gonna knock you out of the sky; and the days when you are dodging thunderstorms. Radar and/or Stormscope would help with the latter but I have rarely had that luxury.
Fortunately icing is not a common issue in the north, but does cause me some angst if I head down Mexico way. Ice was par for the course when flying in NZ, although it seemed easier to get away from it over there.
Mostly I just TO and climb out like the man says, sit up there in the cruise changing frequency when instructed, let down vis the GPS arrival. Occassionally I fly a GPS RNAV or ILS for real, but have yet to "miss".
Certainly, flying into and out of Archerfield (YBAF) is way easier IFR than it is VFR, ya just gotta remember to not say the magic word "visual" until you have it all pretty well sussed! My first departure from YBAF for almost 20 years was into an 800' overcast in a C210. Program the GPS - punch on the AP - do as the man says - too easy!
Wally, the last NDB I have flown in anger was YKID (Kidston) in a C310 on 5 July 1989. I broke out right at the minima and flew VFR to Carpentaria Downs to collect my pax.
Listening to the jet peddlers in my part of the world, they don't sound to stressed either - although I am sure there are times when the pucker factor goes up - such as getting into Brisbane when the CBs are rolling in from the west.
Dr 
PS: I regularly mix with, listen to, and observe RPT and the likes of the many "Foxtrot Deltas" going in to places like Longreach, Cloncurry, Mt Isa, Roma, Hervey Bay and Bundaberg. I gotta say that I think they do a very professional job of advising their position and intentions to the other traffic, and arranging separation where necessary.