Watching Cute Critters Improves Productivity — Dave’s Diary

I don’t spend much time looking at those “adorable animal” videos making the rounds but I know a lot and I mean a LOT of people do.  But if your boss is on your case about you using your office computer to watch some adorable animal antics on the Internet, tell him to chill.

A recent study reveals that viewing videos and puppy and kitty "cams" on the clock actually makes you better at your job. Read that again.  Puppies equal productivity. Kitty cams equal

In a series of experiments conducted at Hiroshima (Yikes) University in Japan, researchers found that people who looked at pictures of sweet little critters outperformed those who do not.  Researchers say cute animals not only make us happier, but also affect behavior . Viewing cute things improves subsequent performances in tasks that require behavioral carefulness, possibly by narrowing the breadth of attention focus.

But here is an oddity--make sure the gazelles at which you gaze are babies.  The study revealed that folks who watched babies also outperformed people who looked at photos of adult animals.