Yes it is!!! Most of us work on the computer nowadays and you can't escape it, all those social networking site or blogging (like what I am doing now) or just plain surfing the net trying to find out whether the Jolie-Pitt's are now going crazy with their 6 kids.
The Internet is such a powerful tool that you can pretty much get anything you need, information wise of course. Many companies now actually bans Facebook and probably other social networking site. I am a very lucky person as our company hasn't blocked it, actually I can pretty much get into anything on the web, but not that I want to, I am just trying to prove how secure our network is. LOL
Time-wasting, or rather "chronic procrastination," is hardly a laughing matter, according to Professor Joseph Ferrari of Chicago's DePaul University. According to an insightful story in UK's Observer, it's a profound "social and economic" problem and, thanks to technology, it's far worse than you could ever imagine.
Honestly, with or without technology many of us still procrastinate. I think this due to either upbringing, culture (I blame the Spanish for bringing Manana Habit to the Flip land) and influence. There could be other reasons out there, but all I can say many of us are procrastinators in nature.
Procrastination isn't just idle laziness. There are real social consequences to wasting time. Per the story, "it encourages depression, lowers self-esteem, causes insomnia, and indirectly affects health by discouraging visits to the dentist or doctor.
Sufferers are also more likely to have accidents at home involving unmended appliances." Makes sense if you think about it.
Ahh see I can vouch for the last sentence above. My hubby is a techie and I tell you he almost burned our house down 3 times!!! - For forgetting to turn off the stove. - Yes it's a true story.
Of course, it's the economic impact that has businesses more concerned. Distractions aren't just limited to the lure of the web. That little chime that rings when an email message arrives, says research from Calgary University, causes a 0.5 percent drop in the Gross Domestic Product here in the United States, costing the country $70 billion a year, as employees are distracted from the task they're supposed to be focused on.
Hey, my pc doesn't chime when I get an email!!! It just shows a little yellow envelope on the task bar. :)
I don't think emails are a distraction, maybe a small percentage. Most business actually rely on email for communication and for transferring files and so on. I myself use email at work all the time, to communicate with colleagues and clients. Sometimes it's better to communicate through email as it saves the thread, which means you can go back and re-read the information again. Also, it's a great tool to use for blackmailing someone as you have the evidence :). He he he
Tech is the real driver in this trend, which now impacts 1 in 4 people, up from 1 in 20 a few decades ago. But some scientists say procrastination is hard wired in our brains: People have always wasted time, and evolution may be responsible for developing an "automatic response" mechanism inside us, one which innately told us to drop the cave painting and run if a tiger came sniffing around the cave.
On the other hand, some say procrastination is still useful in tiger-free times: Earlier this year one study found that personal web use (including video games and social networking) helps employees get their jobs done more efficiently (and raises profits) by fostering a "trusting" environment and helping staffers feel at ease in the workplace. Obviously there's a fine line between "wasting time" and "taking a little break." Where that line actually falls remains a mystery.Yes, I agree to this 100%. Since I have access to everything at work and or course I don't abuse it, I totally have this feeling of being at home. I know that I can do a little bit of surfing and my boss won't yell at me or even fire me for doing that. It's taking a break!
I mean, isn't it the same for people who goes our for a smoke? I mean they could be out smoking for 10 minutes each time and bosses don't normally give them a pink slip for smoking right? So I think it's the same for us non-smokers, just because we can't take our computer out and do our surfing outside, we shouldn't be punish for checking our personal mail or just trying to get some Hollywood gossip. It's only fair I think.
For all of you who have the privilege of having access to the Internet without restrictions, don't abuse it! Your boss lets you do that, so I say give and take - So put some time on finishing that project of yours!
Now stop reading blogs and get back to work.
LINK: Hi-tech is turning us all into time-wasters
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