How Slacking Off Can Make You More Productive

This just in -- from Harvard, no less!: Employees who waste company time are more productive.

And no, I'm not kidding!

Apparently, a researcher at the University of Melbourne found that workers who use the Web to take care of personal business, or for mental breaks and entertainment, are 9 percent more productive than those who don't.

Why this phenomenon, you ask? The theory is that quick breaks from work actually boost your concentration levels. I don't doubt this. I actually try to work in bursts -- say, 45 minutes on a project, then 15 minutes to check e-mail or update my Twitter status before getting back to work -- and it tends to make me feel more engaged and motivated.

Alas, writes my colleague Sean Silverthorne, all play and no work doesn't have the same effect: If you spend more than 20 percent of your time slacking, you lose the productivity boost.

(Want more fascinating tidbits like this one? Check out Sean's blog, The View from Harvard Business, for more smart insights.)