Pressing to chop lets you decide on how much stamina you use, each chop is a choice to expend the stamina or save it for another action.
Don't worry the better the equipment the less chops needed, but at the start... do you chop wood or the greyling annoying you... and if you slow the chops you can save stamina to respond to enemies.

I get there are people with an issue with pain clicking and movement, yet its not crazy mad rapid click to do action, you can slow click and still do the same.. spam click is not a requirement.