how flexible should companies be with personal internet use at work?

My last workplace tried the whole "block everything" method, and honestly, it just drove people to use their phones more often. I remember one coworker sneaking out to the parking lot every hour or so to check Instagram—felt like high school all over again. When they finally loosened up and told us to just be reasonable, productivity actually improved. Makes me wonder though...is there a sweet spot between trusting employees completely and keeping some basic guardrails in place?

"When they finally loosened up and told us to just be reasonable, productivity actually improved."

Totally agree with this. Blanket blocking just pushes people toward riskier behaviors—like your coworker sneaking out. A balanced policy with some clear guidelines usually works better...trust but verify, you know?