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Chances are if you’ve happened upon this article you may be interrupting yourself.

The internet for many is a means of escapism, a temporary and euphoric lapse from writing a paper or studying for a test. Pecking a quick post to someone on Facebook or browsing videos on YouTube offer a brief respite from responsibility and give the mind an opportunity to catch its breath.

A recent article featured on Yahoo! News revealed a study done at Australia’s University of Melbourne which explains that the time with the happy distractions of the internet is actually an investment in productivity. The article states that “short and unobtrusive breaks enable the mind rest itself, leading to a higher total net concentration for a days’ work,” as high as 9%.

Responsibility still rests in careful moderation of one’s surfing habits, however, as the study focused on people who browsed in moderation, who “were on for less than 20 percent of their total time in the office.”

So while Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Wikipedia can be welcome oases in a desert of mind-numbing work, moderation and discretion remain integral variables in the productivity equation. The temptation to click the “related videos” tab on YouTube or to chain wiki links together will still have to be resisted, as the article is sure to note that “those who behave with internet addiction tendencies will have a lower productivity than those without.”