Bring The Siesta To NYC Summers

I can usually attribute my greatest half-baked ideas to cold meds, which I am taking right now after catching whatever viral plague was circulating the newsroom. This morning I was reading about how the staff over at ABC News has been feuding with management over compensation for time they spend on their Blackberries while off the clock. This is when it hit me yet again: New Yorkers work too much. This is why we should bring the siesta to New York City.

I'm not asking for all year round, just summer time. It's hot and we all naturally feel a little lazier anyway. When I lived abroad, there was nothing nicer than having a big chunk of time in the middle of the day to eat a satisfying lunch and have a rest. For most people this meant napping, but since I find it impossible to sleep during sunlit hours, for me it meant reading an actual book instead of blogs or letting my mind wander. Then you could go back to work for a few hours feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, and felt far more focused than you would after your tenth cup of coffee. Sure, the siesta has its downsides—for instance, it can be frustrating that your free time also happens to occur when all the stores are closed—but it helps you to enjoy life a little more. So if you can, New Yorkers, take a siesta, especially if you work from home or freelance. And let us know if it sharpens your mental acumen a little more.

[Image via Van Gogh Prints]