Online distractions lead us to 'wilf'

It's a phenomenon we at Web User have known about for years, but now aimless surfing of the internet has got a name - 'wilfing'.

To 'wilf' - an acronym for What was I looking for? - is the new verb for wasting one's time when surfing the web, not looking for anything in particular. The term was coined by moneysupermarket.com, who recently undertook a survey of the online habits of 2,412 adults in the UK.

“Although people log on with a purpose, they are now being offered so much choice and online distraction that many forget what they are there for, and spend hours aimlessly Wilfing instead,” said Jason Lloyd of moneysupermarket.com.

Though it's easy to get distracted, it does lead to people wasting time that they could be spending with their families or earning a crust.

Pete Cohen, a life coach, advised surfers: "Set yourself a specific surfing goal and time limit to keep on track. Set pop-up blockers on your PC to save you being distracted.”

Lloyd added: “It’s important people don’t allow unnecessary online distractions to get in the way when surfing the internet, as it can affect productivity in the workplace and relationships in the home.”

http://www.moneysupermarket.com/

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