<div><p>You know how sometimes you're supposed to be doing work and then you end up in the depths of the internet looking at cute cat pictures?</p><p>It's not an uncommon thing to happen. </p><p>But people tend to associate procrastinating with cats as a bad thing, but a new study is suggesting that pro-cat-stination is actually good for your mental health. </p><p>Jessica Galll Myrick, of Indiana University, published a study that indicates the happiness of looking at cat pictures outweighs the feelings of guilt people may feel because of the delay in progress. </p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/nala_cat-57ed6d1c3df78c690fa32845.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/nala_cat-57ed6d1c3df78c690fa32845_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite>The Spruce</cite></figcaption></figure></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p>The study surveyed almost 7,000 people and their internet habits, also taking into account their personality traits. The results show that "the <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563215004343">happiness </a>gained from viewing Internet cats can moderate the relationship between procrastination motives, guilt, and enjoyment."</p><p>Another study through Hiroshima University in Japan by Hiroshi Nittono came to a similar conclusion. </p><p>"This study shows that viewing cute things improves subsequent performance in tasks that require behavioral carefulness, possibly by narrowing the breadth of attentional focus," Nittono <a href="https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/minds-business/the-power-of-puppies-looking-at-cute-images-can-improve-focus.html#.WOUDaTvyuUk">says</a>. </p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/Most-Famous-Felines-007.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/Most-Famous-Felines-007_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite>Cutest Paw</cite></figcaption></figure></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p>So basically, not only does viewing cat pictures make you happier, it also makes you more productive after the fact. </p><p>If your boss, parents, or teachers come at you saying you're wasting your time...just show them this study. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p></div>