According to a study published by The University of Melbourne, employees who use the internet for personal reasons at work are about 9 percent more productive than those who don't.

Brent Coker, one of the authors of the study, claims "workplace internet leisure browsing," helps sharpen workers' concentration. He says people need to "zone out for a bit" to get back their concentration, and that short and unobtrusive breaks enable the mind to rest itself, leading to more concentration throughout the day.

The study covered 300 workers, and 70 percent of those who use the internet at work said they used it for private leisure. The most popular leisure activities include searching for information on products, reading online news sites (yes, you), playing games and watching YouTube videos.

Coker says companies spend tons of dosh on software to block access to these sites, under the pretence they cost millions in lost productivity. Apparently it's a waste of money, but Coker does point out the study focused on sane people who browsed in moderation, not internet addicts who have a lower productivity than others.

More here.