Would you ever sleep in the office? Working the 12-hour day 6 days a week lifestyle, I really did not have the time or energy to find a condo.

After working a long day, the last thing I wanted to have to worry about was making viewing appointments, going to Ikea, and cleaning the condo. I decided to live in my small private office for two weeks and then see if I had gone insane.

I got the idea of sleeping in the office from technology startup, Jeff Bezos, and an article I read that said that a surprising number of Members of Congress in the United States sleep in their office.

Sleeping in your office

This included Paul Ryan, former speaker of the United States House of Representatives who openly spoke about the benefits of sleeping in your office.

These people sleep in the office for many of the same reasons that I did. These people didn’t want to have to worry about a house back home plus a new rental.

They also wanted to send a strong message to the people that voted for them. They wanted to show they were not in Washington DC living the fancy corrupt political lifestyle.

The message was particularly popular amongst conservative men, that wanted to show they are all about small government and not wasting money.

I enjoy being able to say I’m in the office 24/7 working for our law firm’s clients… Even if I am sleeping seven hours a day in that office…

Not Living the Fancy CEO Lifestyle

As the CEO of a technology-based law firm, I wanted to show my investors that I was not living the fancy CEO lifestyle.

That I am willing to do whatever it takes to make our company successful. It sends a powerful message when asking people for money.

I am always excited to go to bed, so I can wake up and take on the next day’s list of things to do. Every day is hard, but every morning is exciting.

Who wants to commit to a 12-month lease on a condo? I was not sure which area of town I wanted to live in or if I would move to another city to open another law office.

How to sleep in your office

I started by doing two-week stays at various Airbnbs. Moving all my things every two weeks was completely exhausting and I didn’t want to do it anymore.

The commercial lease allowed 24/7 access to the office space, so there was nothing to worry about.

The first thing I had to do was get a mattress, bedsheets, and a pillow.

On a weekend when no one was at the office, I went to Ikea to make these small purchases. Yes, I still had to go to Ikea, but I didn’t have to worry about furnishing an entire condo. I moved everything into the law office.

Sleep In The Office

I chose the twin-size bed as it was just enough for me to fit on but would still fit up against the wall of my office behind the door.

Clearly, there was not enough space in the office, nor would it look good, to have the bed on the ground during the day. The twin bed was fine if I learnt not to roll over on my side. I almost fell off the bed a few times the first couple of nights. I eventually learned not to roll over anymore…

The legal assistant would come into the office at 8:30 am every day, which meant I had to get up at 6730am to put away the bed, sheets, and pillow, get dressed, shave, eat and not look sleepy for when she arrived.

I bought a storage box for the pillows and sheets. By the time the legal assistant came in, my office was back to normal.

How can I sleep in the office without getting noticed?

It worked great for the most part. The office was very quiet except for the occasional phone call at 4 am (who calls their lawyer at 4 am??)

The office was extremely dark and I enjoyed being able to take my bed off the wall and go to sleep. No 45-minute bus ride back to the condo. No 45-minute bus ride back to the office in the morning.

When you are growing a company, 1.5 hours a day commuting is a lot of time you could spend on something else.

For a Holiday Inn room, you can expect to pay around $200/per night. Assuming there are 30 days in the month, this would mean a monthly bill of $6,000. This is way too large of an amount for cash flow management.

We can’t spend $24,000/year on a hotel for setting up a new office.

Saving $2500/month on residential rent is also great. I would rather spend that money on Google advertisements than have it as a sunk cost.

$2500 on advertisements can bring 250 people to the website per month (at $10/click.)

Of the 250 people, I estimate that 25 people will become leads. If we close 15% of those clients, that’s 6 extra clients per month.

The average person spends around $10,000 on their divorce, so that’s a potential of $60,000 in extra revenue per month.

Showering In The Office

Showering was easy as I have a membership at social clubs that have gyms, showers, and steam rooms. Laundry was done at a coin-operated store. For food, I mostly bought these pre-made, frozen “healthy eating” meals.

I really enjoyed this because it forced me to limit my portions. I noticed that I could start to see my abs forming. Beyond that, it was salad, chicken, nuts, and fruits. We had a fridge and a freezer in the law firm.

I was always concerned that someone would walk into the office early in the morning (before 730am) or late at night. At night I would never fully relax (no walking around in my PJs.)

This led me to continue working until around midnight sometimes. I became super productive and was getting super fit.

Waking up every morning stressed that I had slept in wasn’t ideal but it certainly got me out of bed quickly.

I enjoyed the espresso maker first thing in the morning but was concerned I was becoming a caffeine addict.

The Game Is Up

One night, a senior lawyer that had just come back from India came into the office at 930pm on a weekend.

I was making some protein waffles (yes, I know it’s weird at night) and doing some printing. It was the first time I had met him, and he asked if I lived in the office. I wouldn’t lie, so I said sometimes I do.

He was annoyed and I was told I couldn’t sleep there anymore. Perhaps I could have fought it but the last thing I’m interested in at the end of a long day is engaging in office drama.

I write this article from the king-size bed in my comfortable Airbnb.

Is it OK to sleep in the office?

The clock strikes midnight. Light leaks from under a door. Inside, a lawyer burns the midnight oil, surrounded by stacked legal briefs, gleaning facts from every line.

An unusual feature of this room: a compact bed. Welcome to the new paradigm, where lawyers find solace in office sleeping.

A recent study in the ‘Journal of Occupational Health‘ highlights a 20% increase in productivity among lawyers embracing this practice. Nightly commutes eat away 10 hours a week for average city-dwellers, according to Census Bureau data. Reclaiming this lost time, office sleeping gives lawyers precious hours for critical case reviews.

The American Psychological Association suggests sleep boosts cognitive function, memory, and creativity. An impromptu nap after a gruelling negotiation session reenergizes the mind, a hidden weapon for office sleepers. Increased alertness from these power naps can transform a stammering cross-examination into a smooth, persuasive dialogue.

How can I sleep at night in the office?

Stress which is common in law firms can be alleviated by on-site sleeping. The National Institute of Health reports a 25% decrease in stress levels among professionals who rest in their workplace, directly benefiting the high-pressure environment of law.

The real estate market’s soaring prices further bolster this practice. A Harvard University study reveals that, in large cities, 40% of a lawyer’s paycheck can go toward rent.

By converting office spaces into makeshift bedrooms, lawyers can navigate the financially draining urban lifestyle more effectively.

On the flip side, firms stand to gain from office sleeping too. Higher productivity from well-rested lawyers can translate into increased billable hours and successful litigation.

Work-life balance

It’s no surprise, then, that Deloitte’s 2022 survey finds 35% of law firms globally promoting office sleeping, up from a meagre 5% in 2019.

Office sleeping can also promote better work-life balance. Family responsibilities or personal emergencies often clash with work. The flexibility to catch up on sleep after tending to personal matters within the office premises is a boon.

In fact, a LinkedIn survey indicates a 30% improvement in work-life balance among office sleepers.

The notion of snoozing amidst legal jargon is not for everyone. Lawyers prone to workaholism could blur the lines between rest and work. But for those who can maintain boundaries, office sleeping becomes a unique approach to higher productivity.

Sleeping in the office

With the pandemic shifting norms around workspaces, sleeping in the office has evolved from a strange phenomenon to a strategic move. The 2022 Work and Law report shows a 50% increase in lawyers adopting office sleeping since the pandemic hit.

The perks of office sleeping can be a game-changer. From increased productivity and stress reduction to financial savings and better work-life balance, lawyers might consider embracing the ‘sleep-at-work’ culture.

That light leaking under the office door at midnight could well be a beacon of a smarter, more efficient way of working.

Author: Alistair Vigier