Published: Oct 07, 2022 | Updated at: Oct 07, 2022

I'm Feeling Curious

It may come as no surprise that having employees with adequate engagement and motivation will reduce the levels of absenteeism by 41%. Even more than that, it also improves productivity by around 17%. So, it's fair to conclude that taking the time to ensure your employees are motivated is money well spent.

In fact, if you are managing a project then keeping your colleagues alert and focused can be one of the key tasks in your plan. But how exactly can you manage this? What do you do when you find your colleague typing "I'm feeling curious" into Google when they're supposed to be completing one of their assigned tasks?

The answer might actually be to leave them to it. Has that solution surprised you? Read on to find out just how googling "I'm feeling curious" can actually boost the motivation of your employees.

"I'm Feeling Curious": Google's Answer to Motivation Lapses

Way back in 2012, Google released a new feature that people found interesting and exciting, while also not really understanding the point of it. The concept was simple: type into the search bar a single, specific statement, and Google will take that statement on board and produce something that would appease you.

The statement? I'm feeling curious.

The outcome? A random interesting fact, usually taken from Wikipedia or a news source.

Go on, give it a try now. See! As you'll see, you're not limited to just the one interesting fact, but you're given an option of 'ask another question', so it can literally keep you occupied for as long or as little as you'd like. And the best thing? No one could ever tell you it's a waste of time when you're learning something new with each search.

Every time you enter "I'm feeling curious", a new fact will show, and given the sheer number of facts out there in the world, it's almost guaranteed you'll never get the same fact twice. So, how does it even work? How is Google deciding which facts to show? Is it truly random?

In true Google style, an algorithm is used to decide which fact to present you with. And that algorithm is determined by your Google search history. Every query you've entered into Google is put together to create a profile of you - who you are, where you are, what you like, etc. Using this, it will predict the kind of facts you will find interesting.

After all, the more facts you find interesting, the longer you will stay on the platform, right? You'd think so, but it might not actually be the case.

So, How Can That Help Keep People Focused?

Some research has shown that Google's "I'm feeling curious" feature can help to reduce anxiety and increase both motivation and productivity. But how could that be possible? Surely playing around on Google is the opposite of productive?

Well, in this era of a constant stream of information being thrown at us, it can all feel very overwhelming. I'm sure we've all been victim to the dreaded 'doom-scrolling' where you open up a social media app and scroll aimlessly barely even taking the information in. At this point, it's just become a habit. The problem with that type of 'relaxation' is that it's not helping to focus the mind.

The Benefits of Google's "I'm Feeling Curious" Search

That's the very basis of the theory that Google's I'm feeling curious feature can help. When you search that statement, you're provided with a very simple answer to a very straightforward question, that is algorithmically chosen to be something you will find interesting. In some cases, answering a question we didn't even know we needed the answer to!

And it's not surprising to know that that will help to focus your mind. Even if it's not on the task you've been set at work, it can help to slow down your mind and bring yourself back to focus. It'll make you more alert and ready to work again. 

It might even be the way you get back into work. After using this search on Google you'll be able to talk to your co-workers about it. It's no secret that one of the keys to a cohesive team is to be friendly and close enough to chat about topics outside of the project at hand. In fact, that's one of the main aspects of the Agile Project Management strategies.

Allowing your employees and colleagues to have the time to discuss topics outside of the project will bring them closer. This in turn will make for a more cohesive team, and from that almost always comes a more motivated and productive team.

Who Knew? Letting Your Employees Google Can Keep Them Motivated and Productive!

So, in what would appear to be a feature tailor-made for time wasters and procrastinators, comes an unexpected gift to managers and employers everywhere. The "I'm feeling curious" feature on Google will present your employees with the opportunity to take a step back when work is getting a little overwhelming without getting lost in the dreaded 'doom-scrolling' world.

Not only that, but it will provide talking points for the team. Whether that be ice breakers, daily non-work water cooler chat, or just interesting facts to bring the team back together when they've been working independently for a while, this Google feature may just be what your team needs to get back into the swing of things.

Of course, the second most important feature of a good project and cohesive team is the software used to ensure each person knows which task is theirs and what the timelines are. Get in touch now to provide your team with the software they need to keep focused and motivated!