You’re Not Wasting Time: Looking At Baby Animals Helps Productivity

A new study has just come out claiming that looking at pictures of cute things, specifically baby animals, helps you focus on tasks and increases productivity. Isn’t this the best news ever? All of those hours spent on Cute Overload are not wasted hours, after all! In the study, scientists had subjects look at pictures of kittens and puppies and then play Operation. Those that looked at the pictures first did better in the game.

Did we really need a study to tell us that looking at pictures of cute animals improves our lives? Well, nope. But isn’t it a great excuse to look at 20 pictures of adorable animals?

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If this isn’t Stef in kitten form, I don’t know what is.

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via {MochaCafe}

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via {The Berry}

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via {BuzzFeed}

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Baby Knut via {Daily Mail}

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is this a leopard or an ocelot?

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panda cuddle puddle

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i can’t even

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I’ve never seen a baby squirrel irl

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via {PugKing}

roar

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giraffes are my favorite animals jsyk via {Chester Zoo}

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how much fun would it be to show an elephant around the zoo?

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ahhhhh those ears!

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You’re going to be super duper productive today and get heaps done, I can just feel it.

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Hansen

Hansen is the former DIY & Food Editor of Autostraddle.com and likes to spend most days making and cooking and writing. She teaches creative writing at Colorado State University and is pursuing a Masters of Fine Arts in her free time.

Hansen has written 189 articles for us.

30 Comments

  1. Could we study how looking at the USWNT tag on Tumblr affects productivity? I’m pretty sure Megan Rapinoe and Co. could win over puppies.

    • Oh goodness no. Looking at the USWNT tag on Tumblr is so distracting…..I’ve lost hours at a time during working hours daydreaming over those pictures. It’s a productivity killer.

      If anything, they’re NSFW.

      • Agreed! While it’s incredibly entertaining, I find it difficult to remember that anything else exists when that team is in my sights. Also I got to see them play in LA last month, and I’m going to see them play in Chicago in a few weeks. I might be a groupie.lol

        • Oooooooh I wish I could make it to the Chicago match. It’s a drive-able distance, but a little more than I can spare right now. Not being able to see the team play is killing me.

          In other words: enjoy!

          • That sucks! for it to be close enough but still not get to go. I can respect your restraint tho. that’s not something I seem to have much of. haha

        • Jealous! I don’t think the victory tour is going to make it to the southeast and I am very upset about it.

          *SIGH*

          • They announced another game in Arizona, so maybe there’s still hope they’ll play near you.

  2. My favorites are the otters, the teacup pigs, the pup vs the Velociraptor, and the little kitty with the top hat. Who could resist such a dapper little feline?!

  3. I needed this so badly! I have been trying to get focused on a writing a paper for the longest… hopefully now I’ll be able to.

  4. I was browsing during lunch and have a super-crazy afternoon of work ahead. Now I know I’ll be totally focused!

    But mostly thinking about those teacup pigs playing that little piano.

  5. PIGLETS!.

    For some reason, anything involving piglets makes me break into tears of overwhelmingly inappropriate joy. That’s happening now.

  6. I just let out all kinds of completely meaningless cooing and baby talk when I see pics like these. I ain’t ashamed. I see baby otters and nothing hurts.

  7. That picture of the elephant with the seal looks like it is in Oregon Zoo. I’m not completely sure, but the elephant and the seal’s surroundings look REALLY familiar, and I’ve been there so many times. It’s like one of the best zoos I’ve been to, but maybe I’m bias growing up here.

    • I googled “elephant meets sea lion” and discovered that it is in fact the Oregon Zoo. Four for you, Glen Coco!

  8. I got to the one with the two otter babies, and I stopped going ‘squee’ because it all just got too much and I started screaming instead. This is the most overwhelmed I’ve been with emotion, ever.

  9. *Looks at avatar*

    I mean look at its face, REALLY!??!!

    This cutie and the kitten gnawing its baby milk teeth on a finger.

    *dies of cute*

  10. I do like the pictures (though I’m a bit afraid of animals, personally, as dumb as that sounds, sorry), but sadly websites like that tend to be blocked at my work, since they don’t want you playing on the internet when you’re supposed to be working (the which makes sense).

Comments are closed.