A new study has found that browsing the internet can make workers more productive. The study compared a group of workers who spent ten minutes surfing the internet to two groups, one that continued working and one that took a break other than surfing the internet. The workers who surfed the internet were more productive and reported less fatigue and boredom. The authors of the study say that when browsing, people go to sites that they enjoy, which makes the activity relaxing for them. They say that they recommend limited time for personal browsing at work.
See "Web Surfing Helps at Work, Study Says", Rachel Emma Silverman, The Wall Street Journal, August 22, 2011