Let them eat cyberloaf!

Science is a tricky, tricky son-of-a-gun. One minute we think we have something all figured out. Think we know real hard facts, like going to work, flipping on the computer, heading to BeachGrit, chatting with best friends in the comments or – even better – watching a full eight hours of online surf contest while getting paid to do something else (read: work) is devious, at best. Lightly criminal, at second best.

The next minute we learn that BeachGritting, Wozzling, Instagramming Kelly Slater then getting involved in flat-earth debates just to get the GOAT’s goat is not only healthy but increases employee productivity.

Whoa!

But true?

Let’s waste time deciding for ourselves. Let’s dig straight in to the Chicago Sun Times and sort the pieces out together.

If you’re like most workers, you don’t spend 100% of your time at the office doing what you’re supposed to be doing.

In fact, on average, U.S. workers spend about 10% of their work day surfing the internet, emailing friends or shopping online. This so-called cyberloafing costs employers up to US$85 billion a year.

But it turns out, these behaviors may not be a sign a worker is lazy or just wasting time. New research I conducted with several colleagues suggests cyberloafing can help workers cope with an exceptionally stressful work environment.

Existing research on cyberloafing, a term first coined in 2002 by researchers from the National University of Singapore, typically assumes that this behavior is problematic and counterproductive.

Therefore, the majority of cyberloafing research focuses on ways to deter employees from engaging in this behavior through interventions such as internet monitoring and computer use policies.

However, more recent research has found that using the internet at work for personal purposes may also have some positive outcomes. For instance, social media use at work has been linked to higher levels of employee engagement and job satisfaction.

And other studies indicate that cyberloafing may provide a way for employees to manage workplace stress. For instance, empirical research suggest that employees surf the web as a response to boredom and unclear instructions.

But is cyberloafing actually effective at reducing employee stress levels?

Blah, blah, blah… study, study, study.

Overall, about 65% of participants reported spending at least some time at work cyberloafing, in mostly moderate amounts, with the most common form being the use of personal email.

While we did not directly assess how cyberloafing affects worker performance, we believe that by relieving stress this buffering effect may ultimately help employees be more productive. This fits with other recent research that suggests taking short breaks throughout the work day is indirectly associated with higher levels of daily job performance.

And there we have it.

Science, amiright?

Where’s your favorite place to cyberloaf?

Should BeachGrit bake and sell actual cyberloafs?

How would they be flavored?

Very exciting.

"I had a dream..."

And just imagine, for one second, that your wife or significant other had supernatural abilities. Could see into the future, as clear as anything, dreaming of a “dark, murky, rainy day. You sitting on your board. Your face then… a tug.”

Would you wink, mutter, “Onya” then paddle out at a break in New South Wales, Australia named “Sharkys” on a dark, murky and rainy day?

Men aren’t built as devil-may-care as Wil Schroeter anymore and let’s learn of his harrowing encounter then be inspired by his bravery then be jealous of his wife, who we would certainly pack up immediately and take to Las Vegas for a wild week-long bender of winnings not seen since Back to the Future II.

‘Just paddling – I’m going, when’s this thing going to bite me again?’ he said.

The bite went through to the bone of his foot and caused ligament damage.

Mr Schroeter’s wife Michelle said she had a dream he would be bitten by a shark two days earlier.

‘I remember it was clear as anything. Dark, murky, rainy day. I remember Wil sitting on his board. I didn’t see the shark, either. I just saw his face with the tug,’ she said.

The surf break is known as ‘Sharky’s’ and is a regular spot where of Mr Schroeter’s.

NSW Police said in a statement on Friday that no shark has been sighted in the area despite lifeguards patrolling on jet skis during the day.

Two hammerhead sharks were, however, seen in the area two weeks ago.

Hammerheads?

Hold one just one moment. We’ve been fixated on Great Whites, Tigers, Bulls and Flying Needlefish but Hammerheads?

Oh boy.

Oh literal boy.

No more surfing anywhere until this new threat can be assessed.

Also, Ms. Schroeter, if you are available for a Vegas run it will be all-expense paid.

More as the story develops.

But quickly, Niners or Chiefs?

"Worst nightmare material right here."

Now, we’ve dealt with sharks, Great White, Tiger and Bull, here much. They are post-apocalyptic apex-predators. Man-eaters. Foot fetishists and very scary. Eating through us male surfers, us masculine wave dancers, one at a time. Oh, our fixation is as justified as it is warranted but…

…there are other terrors lurking in the deep.

Horrors that the surfing mind shies away from but if we are to be safe we must have eyes in the backs of our skulls for it is there a new menace is attacking.

The flying needlefish.

And let us travel across the warm seas to wave-rich paradise Indonesia for the very latest.

An Indonesian boy has required lifesaving surgery after being impaled in the neck by a flying needlefish.

Muhammad Idul was fishing with his parents in Buton waters off the South East Sulawesi province on Saturday when a needlefish jumped out of the water.

The fish’s long slender snout sliced straight through the 16-year-old’s neck and pierced the back of his skull.

The student was rushed to hospital for treatment, before undergoing risky surgery to remove the fish from his neck two days later.

Television show IFish described the graphic photos as ‘worst nightmare material right here,’ when they were shared on its Facebook page.

‘Amazing he survived,’ one person commented on the Facebook post.

Another added: ‘What a pain in the neck!’

Needlefish are distinguished by their long, slender jaw which bears multiple sharp teeth capable of inflicting deep wounds.

They are also adept jumpers renowned for leaping out of the water at up to 60 km/h.

Now, do you think the “pain in the neck” comment was completely necessary?

Are you the first to clap when a waitress or waiter drops a heavy load whilst clearing tables?

Rude.

Also, no more surfing in Indonesia. Cancel boat trips etc. until it is learned whether these flying needlefish are terrorists or not.

More as the story develops.

I surf the likes!

But how “good” are you at your job? Like, do you care, at all, about your performance or are you there just punching the clock? Have you ever experienced “stratospheric growth” as part of your efforts or are you just another cog?

Well, even if you are a singular employee, one who wins both monthly and yearly performance awards, you do not hold a candle to our World Surf League’s three person social media team that has spiked a “mind-boggling” 7400% increase on Instagram.

What?

Whoa!

And let us go straight to Engage by Hashtag Sports for a peek behind that booming Wall of Positive Noise. A chat with the “Chief Community Officer Tim Greenberg who is “primarily responsible for overseeing numerous innovation projects while also managing content, original programming and strategy for the League’s social and digital channels.” Let us be inspired but also keep one eye out, knowing that when some people do their jobs very well it makes us all look bad.

During your tenure, World Surf League has seen 1,500% social fan growth across all platforms and a mind-boggling 7,400% increase on Instagram. To what do you attribute this audience growth, and more specifically, what’s been your approach to using technology to manage content, interact with your fan community, and expand your brand around the globe?

Firstly, our team is incredible—it’s not one person, it’s a total collaboration. When I came onboard to oversee and manage our social channels in 2013, and still now, the strategy has been fairly simple: great content programmed consistently over time yield results. Anything that we put out on our social channels, anything we distribute through our broadcast, we really want to make sure that we believe in it, and it is something that, regardless of scale and output, we want our fans want to see.

As a small team—we have three people on our social team who oversee and create daily content—we need to be extremely efficient. Leveraging technology to manage our content output is imperative because otherwise we would not be able to achieve the scale that we’ve been able to deliver, which is roughly 12 to 15 pieces per day on Facebook, an additional 5 to 6 on Instagram, and we’re now programming new platforms like TikTok. From a fan interaction perspective, social is also a great place for us to build community, in addition to achieving scale and reach, we’re using social as a tool to drive engagement.

We also strive to bring the beach to our fans no matter where they live. When we’re creating content that might seem mundane or ‘normal’ to us — like waxing a board— we ask ourselves: could this be interesting to somebody who doesn’t necessarily surf or have access to the ocean on a consistent basis? That perspective is something we try to keep in mind constantly.

Now, a few questions.

First, is Chief Community Officer a real position?

Second, should our World Surf League fire every single person except the social media three?

Third, what is the 1989 World Champion Martin “Pottz” Potter doing on his vacation?

Fourth, do you deserve to become fired from your job?

More as the story develops.