Aimless Internet surfing costs us two days a month

The phenomenon has been named wilfing - short for what was I looking for? - and it affects more than two thirds of the 34 million in the UK with access to the Internet.

A major proportion of them admit to indulging in the aimless habit whether at home or at work.

Pete Cohen, life coach and GMTV's "resident motivator", said: "Not allowing ourselves to wilf takes a mixture of planning and willpower.

"These days there are all manner of websites gunning for our attention. Set yourself a specific surfing goal and time limit to keep on track."

The research, conducted for the price comparison website moneysupermarket.com, also reveals that shopping websites are the biggest cause of wilfing.

And men are much more likely than women to seek out these sites and browse through them aimlessly for hours without making a purchase.

In fact a third of males quizzed in the nationwide study even admit wilfing has had a damaging effect on their relationship with their partner.

One in five men who used the internet also confessed to being "distracted" from work or study by adult entertainment websites.

Jason Lloyd, head of broadband at moneysupermarket.com, said: "The Internet was designed to make it easier for people to access the information they need quickly and conveniently.

"However, our study shows that although people log on with a purpose, they are now being offered so much choice and online distraction that many forget-what they are there for, and spend hours aimlessly wilfing instead." The research was carried out by the YouGov polling organisation, which interviewed 2,412 adults.

Researchers have found the Internet has hit the profits of major high street stores, especially at Christmas when thousands of shoppers choose to avoid the seasonal rush and buy presents on line.

Last Christmas fashion chains such as Gap, Dorothy Perkins and Miss Selfridge gave away piles of vouchers offering major reductions to help boost sales.

Footfall, the research organisation which measures shopper numbers, said traditional stores were under huge pressure from the Internet and supermarkets.

Its figures showed a fall of 6 to 7 per cent compared with the Christmas run-up in 2005.