Absolutely awesome study says it’s okay to surf the web for fun while at work
Share Now on:
Something about the word “cyberloafing” doesn’t sit well with me, but that’s what researchers from the National University of Singapore decided to study. Their findings, presented last week in Texas, show that dinking around on the web will help you be a more productive worker. It’s not all internet related activities, though. Email doesn’t help.
From the WSJ:
When browsing the Internet, people “usually choose to visit only the sites that they like–it’s like going for a coffee or snack break. Breaks of such nature are pleasurable, rejuvenating the Web surfer,” wrote Dr. Lim, in an email. By contrast, workers can’t control the kinds of email they receive, and reading and replying to each message is “cognitively more demanding, relative to Web surfing, as you need to pay attention to what is said on the email,” she added.
Upcoming studies from the National University of Singapore:
– Ice Cream Ideally Suited for Breakfast
– Pants: Who Needs ‘Em?
– Your Desk at Work Makes an Ideal Napping Table
There’s a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.
You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.
Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.