A survey of new users of an internet blocking and web filtering software has revealed that a majority – 68% – bought it to boost their productivity after realising that their procrastination might be down to their genes.

The survey was undertaken by Webtrate (www.webtrate.com) a leading internet blocker and web filtering software company, following a rapid rise in purchases of its software. The company found that sales following the release of the genetic story increased by 1000%.

The survey found that the new users had admitted to previously using their will power in order to stop putting work off, but 65% said their will power let them down, as they continued to finish work late or right up to deadline.

68% said that once they realised that their procrastination might be genetic they bought a product in order to help them beat it.

More than 90% of those surveyed found that their productivity increase once they realised that their productivity levels was out of their control.

The survey backs up another survey of 3000 people in the USA that found that 53% of people thought that checking their emails and social media while trying to get work finished revealed a worrying lack of impulse control.

59% said they lost their chain of thought because they checked and responded to an email or social media alert while they were working on a report or longer piece of written work.

Will Little, who designed and created Webtrate, said: “The rise in sales of Webtrate was so dramatic that we wanted to find out the reason. It didn’t take us long to realise that people worried that their genes were preventing them from increasing their productivity, were turning to software as a solution,”  he said.