This study aims to examine the consonant and dissonant effects that cyberloafing and physical exercise may have on individuals’ performance as activities of occupying rest breaks at work. Built upon an innovative perspective, a laboratory quasi-experimental study was developed where a total of 124 participants performed two different tasks—a cognitive task measuring errors and omissions and a motor task. Their performance was evaluated after a cyberloafing or physical exercise break. Aligned with the cognitive dissonance theory, results revealed that physical exercise breaks had a positive effect on motor performance. Conscientiousness and engagement also presented a medium effect size, suggesting a trend to moderate the impact of cyberloafing breaks on cognitive performance. Theoretical and practical implications, as well as limitations of the study and areas for future research, were also explored.

Part of this work was included in the Master thesis dissertation of the first author Ana Sara Santos. This work was also supported by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Grant UID/GES/00315/2019.

Cyberloafing,Physical exercise,Breaks,Motor performance,Cognitive performance

• Psychology - Social Sciences
• Economics and Business - Social Sciences
• Sociology - Social Sciences
• Other Social Sciences - Social Sciences