E-mails 'hurt IQ more than pot'

[Noname]

Workers distracted by phone calls, e-mails and text messages suffer a greater loss of IQ than a person smoking marijuana, a British study shows. The constant interruptions reduce productivity and leave people feeling tired and lethargic, according to a survey carried out by TNS Research and commissioned by Hewlett Packard. Boycott Hewlett Packard.

The survey of 1,100 Britons showed:

    * Almost two out of three people check their messages out of office hours and when on holiday.
    * Half of all workers respond to an e-mail within 60 minutes of receiving one.
    * One in five will break off from a business or social engagement to respond to a message.
    * Nine out of 10 people thought colleagues who answered messages during face-to-face meetings were rude, while three out of 10 believed it was not only acceptable, but a sign of diligence and efficiency.

The mental impact of trying to balance a steady inflow of messages while getting on with normal work took its toll, the UK's Press Association reported.

In 80 clinical trials, a psychiatrist at King's College London University, monitored the IQ of workers throughout the day. He found the IQ of those who tried to juggle messages and work fell by 10 points -- the equivalent to missing a whole night's sleep and more than double the 4-point fall seen after smoking marijuana.

"This is a very real and widespread phenomenon," Wilson said. "We have found that this obsession with looking at messages, if unchecked, will damage a worker's performance by reducing their mental sharpness. Companies should encourage a more balanced and appropriate way of working." He said the IQ drop was even more significant in the men who took part in the tests.

"The research suggests that we are in danger of being caught up in a 24-hour 'always on' society," said a spokesman for Hewlett Packard. "This is more worrying when you consider the potential impairment on performance and concentration for workers, and the consequent impact on businesses."

[mauzip]

these researchers are on crack

[Doggystylin]

what?

[Suffice]

Damn, i'm royally fucked. I use E-mails, IM's, Myspace, etc, etc... AND i smoke Pot once in a while. i'm FUUUUCKKKED!!

[Ðøšïå]

Damn, i'm royally fucked. I use E-mails, IM's, Myspace, etc, etc... AND i smoke Pot once in a while. i'm FUUUUCKKKED!!

lol.

[Shahizzle]

Damn, i'm royally fucked. I use E-mails, IM's, Myspace, etc, etc... AND i smoke Pot once in a while. i'm FUUUUCKKKED!!

Yes u are 

[Shahizzle]

this is fucked up tho ... if its true, that is ...

[ToOoOoN!!!]

i'm okay...i smoke more weed than i read e-mails lol 

[white Boy]

Damn, i'm royally fucked. I use E-mails, IM's, Myspace, etc, etc... AND i smoke Pot once in a while. i'm FUUUUCKKKED!!

i use all those and more, all on a daily basis.. damn i could blame me doin bad in school on this...

[Da WCC Hopar!]

we shood boycot the internet

[Sikotic™]

It sounds liek the person that wrote that was on pot.

I don't believe it.

[Acgrundy]

well I didn't have the attention span to read the whole thing.  I've smoked a lot of pot, and I can tell you when I was high, I sure as fuck wasn't doin know email or msg checking.  fuck that.

[Kill]

mann dats sum str8 bullshit MAN I SMOKE ALOTT OF WEED AND EMAILS AND SHIT AND ALL DAT STUFF AND IM THE SMARTEST MUHFUCKA AROUND SO FUCK THAT AND FUCC DOSE BEATCHES AND DAT RESEARCH SHIT MAN

[Thuglife]

im gonna go smoke sum weed now

[Eddie G.]

I believe it.  I went on vacation for a week and I left my cell phone behind, and I was much sharper and relaxed.  I don't know if it was just cuz I was focusing my attention on other shit tho.