From the University of Cincinnati:
A new e-memo for the boss: Online breaks at work can refresh workers and boost productivity. Early findings from a University of Cincinnati study will be presented on Aug. 5, at the 74th annual meeting of the Academy of Management in Philadelphia.
The study led by Sung Doo Kim, a doctoral candidate in the Carl H. Lindner College of Business, opens a rare avenue of research into coping with technology-induced distractions in our contemporary society.
Previous research has focused on breaks during off-job hours such as evening, weekend and vacation periods, or on traditional "offline" breaks taken during working hours, such as lunch or coffee breaks. Given the prevalence of online work breaks, the UC study examined this phenomenon in depth, utilizing extensive one-on-one interviews about online breaks with 33 professionals from a variety of industries and occupations.
The researchers outlined three consequences of online work breaks: momentary recovery, learning and satisfaction. First, the workers took online breaks as a quick chance to unwind. "Employees reported benefits on going online to balance their work and personal responsibilities, such as checking on their children," says Kim. "After reassuring themselves about their children, they were better able to focus on their work." Kim adds that people going online for industry news or research felt that they were benefitting themselves in their careers. He says that employees who took online breaks also reported greater levels of satisfaction at work, perhaps because of the freedom to be able to occasionally check in on their personal life. The researchers add that if taken in an undisciplined manner, online breaks could turn into cyberloafing, resulting in the excessive loss of time and productivity.
(Score: 2) by tynin on Wednesday August 06 2014, @10:38PM
Nothing gets my morning going like having a couple cups of coffee and then head off to tie up one of the toilets for a nice long while. Without a doubt, a good crap in the morning sets me right for all of the shit I have to deal with throughout the day.
(Score: 2) by el_oscuro on Thursday August 07 2014, @12:02AM
I am known as "Al Bundy" at work...
SoylentNews is Bacon! [nueskes.com]
(Score: 3, Funny) by gallondr00nk on Wednesday August 06 2014, @10:40PM
Human beings are not robots*. News at 11 :)
*Except for the cylons.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by bob_super on Thursday August 07 2014, @12:27AM
Actually, it's even better than that: Human beings in a sane work environment will feel compelled to be more focused because they stole those 20 minutes browsing personal stuff while on the clock.
If you give them just the normal break, they're more likely to just go back to their leisurely pace. With a long leash, once their realize that they overdid it by a noticeable margin, they'll be less likely to want to be seen procrastinating a second time (and/or you can use it to get rid of the worst ones).
Since people will get their internet fix on their cell phones, bosses are better off letting them do it faster on the computer anyway.
(Score: 3, Funny) by cafebabe on Wednesday August 06 2014, @11:00PM
Oh, that's for amateurs. Scott Adams had the concept of multi-shirking [wiktionary.org]. That's where you do two or more unproductive things at once. From my empirical research on the the subject, it takes significant effort to be unproductive in such a productive manner.
1702845791×2
(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 06 2014, @11:37PM
I always preferred oppressive conditions and draconian rules meant to destroy any motivational or creative will in the work place. After all aren't I my bosses property?
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Tork on Thursday August 07 2014, @03:54AM
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈
(Score: 2) by rts008 on Thursday August 07 2014, @03:11PM
On a related note...
One of the more useful things I learned in college was from my English Composition professor.
He advised us to write our rough drafts early, then put them away for 2-3 days and forget about them in the meantime.
Pull them out and read them after several days to see if they still seem to make sense. You will most likely have some editing to do if lucky, and a complete rewrite if not.
I don't think I had but several rquiring minor edits, most needed heavy editing.
It all sounds/looks/feels good when it's 'flowing', but we seldom nail it perfectly first time.
(Score: 2) by PizzaRollPlinkett on Thursday August 07 2014, @01:13PM
Breaks often result in greater productivity. I stare at things until I don't see them any longer. I had an issue yesterday where I just couldn't see the problem, and after leaving it alone overnight, I glanced at it this morning and immediately saw the problem.
Not all work is like this, however, so it depends on what you're doing. Any kind of work that requires intense concentration benefits from breaks to rest the mind.
(E-mail me if you want a pizza roll!)
(Score: 3, Interesting) by rts008 on Thursday August 07 2014, @03:31PM
I saw an amusing incident back in the early 1980's that illustrates this:
I worked in a heavy-truck garage at the time. I came into work one afternoon and morning shift had started putting the truck back together that night shift had tore down. They were almost done, but were still having trouble getting the grill to go back on correctly. (cab-over Mack semi)
They had grinders, cutting torches, drills, and a welder dragged over to the truck, the grill hanging there askew on the truck. (I was tasked to take over)
When I rolled my toolchest over and took a look at the situation...it was obvious to me what the problem was.
Being a young and cocky smart-ass at the time, I asked:
"Uhm, isn't the bulldog supposed to be at the TOP of the
grill, and RIGHTSIDE UP?"(Mack trucks have a bulldog emblem at the top of the grill on cab-overs, and a bulldog hood ornament on the rest of the trucks)
Yes, they had become so focused they had somehow got the grill mounted(sort of) upside down.
5 minutes later, the job was done...they had been fighting with it for several hours after encountering many issues and problems prior.
I have been stuck in a similar fashion, and remembering that incident reminds me to walk away for a while and do something else. Usually when I come back to the stuck task, the solution is staring me in the face, and easily utilized.