Wellnomics analysed the behaviour of nearly 50,000 computer users across 95 organisations in Europe, North America and Australasia.
Managing director Kevin Taylor, who has just presented the research at a world conference on RSI, said the data challenged previously held ideas about how long we spend on our computers at work.
The Wellnomics data found surveys based on self-reported computer use were 40 to 100 percent inaccurate.
Using software to record keystrokes, mouse clicks and time at the computer, it showed that on average, workers use their computers just 12.4 hours per week, or 2.4 hours per day over a five-day working week.
Only 12 percent of users had average computing use exceeding 20 hours per week, with less than 1 percent exceeding 30 hours per week.
"It seems that we all spend less time working at our computers than we imagine," Dr Taylor said.
"And in fact, those few people who recorded more than 30 hours a week on the computer were working well beyond standard business hours to achieve those levels."
Email took up the biggest chunk of time at 28 percent, with internet browsing following at 18 percent and word processing at 15 percent.
Dr Taylor believes one of the most important areas of discussion to emerge from the study is around the guidelines set by governments and corporations for safe amounts of computer usage.
"Currently we have guidelines set at around 5-6 hours per day in various countries, based on the self-reporting studies which have now been found to be inaccurate.
"The reality is that the current level of injuries is coming from far lower levels of computer use than first thought."
Mouse usage also appears to be more important than the number of keystrokes when it comes to RSI, supporting consensus that it is not repetitive actions like typing that are the major cause of injury, but static posture and muscle tension.
Dr Taylor pointed out the study only covered the work environment, and did not cover home usage where increasingly users were browsing websites, instant messaging, loading music and downloading podcasts as an alternative to television.
There was also big differences between countries and usage. New Zealand's sample was not big enough but British users spent the most time at the computer (16.8 hours per week).
Americans and Australians were next, with 14.5 and 13.6 hours per week respectively.
Norway and the Netherlands had lower numbers per week, but this was possibly due to there being more part time office workers in both countries.
Wellnomics was founded in 1997 by Dr Kevin Taylor and Dr Rob van Nobelen to develop software tools to manage health and safety in the office.
It has over 1.2 million software product licenses in use worldwide, and clients include Philips, Boeing, Chevron, Shell, BP,ING Bank, KPMG, PWC, Pacific Gas and Electric, Cap Gemini, Nike, and Eli Lilly.
Source: AAP NewsWire