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FILE - In this Oct. 10, 2012 file photo, two workers take a nap on a roof in Madrid, Spain. (AP Photo/Alberto Di Lolli, File)Alberto Di Lolli/The Associated Press

Every country moves to its own rhythms. But in a globalized economy, a nation's endearing behavioural quirks don't stand a chance against the forceful claims of workplace productivity. For proof, look to Spain, where acting prime minister Mariano Rajoy has promised to end the ancient and still formidable tradition of the afternoon siesta – if he can just get around to forming a government after the inconclusive Dec. 20 election.

The concept of the midday break, originally designed as a recovery period for depleted agricultural workers in the hottest part of the day, still determines the pace of life in urban Spain. Though hardly anyone works on a farm any more, working days are split into two parts, a morning stint that lasts until 2 p.m. or so, and then a late-afternoon shift that begins at 4:30 and goes on and on until 8 p.m.

In-between is the siesta, an elongated space of down-time that these days is rarely used for sleeping, but still isn't protracted enough for commuters to zip home, savour a three-course meal, sip a brandy and amble back to the desk for some stimulating late-day labour. Critics of the siesta note that Spaniards end up working longer days than their counterparts in Germany, but with lower productivity – the worst of both worlds.

Travellers to Spain, seeking a break from their own relentless 9-to-5 routine, may admire a way of life that looks more relaxed: all those happy workers in the streets heading out for lengthy lunches, all those colourful shops that spring back to life just as the day seems to be ending.

But this idealized siesta isn't the actual experience of many working Spaniards. Working women, in particular, suffer under the burdens of an old tradition that doesn't take account of their obligations to pick up children after school and prepare supper.

So Spaniards eat dinner later, watch their prime-time TV at midnight and go to bed in the wee hours, even though they have an early start to the working day – and as a result suffer disproportionately from sleep deprivation. For which the solution, of course, is the power nap, the ancient siesta renovated and rejuvenated for the needs of the modern workplace.

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