Mike Chastaine: How to Master Your Time and Build a Thriving Firm

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Mike Chastaine discuss:

• Managing time effectively and focusing on high-value tasks
• Law firm growth and business development
• The psychology of productivity
• Work-life balance and self-improvement

Key Takeaways:

• Prioritizing control over your daily schedule is essential because, rather than trying to manage time itself, lawyers should focus on managing their actions by scheduling focused work blocks, minimizing distractions, and ensuring that key priorities are intentionally planned.
• Using the 80/20 rule can drastically improve efficiency by identifying and focusing on the 20% of tasks that produce 80% of the results while delegating or eliminating lower-value work that consumes time without contributing significantly to success.
• Starting the day with meditation, gratitude journaling, and small victories (like making your bed) sets the tone for a more productive and controlled day.
• Applying the Profit First method to law firm finances can help ensure long-term financial stability by reversing the traditional approach to budgeting, prioritizing profit from the start, monitoring cash flow daily, and making strategic spending decisions only after ensuring profitability.

"There's no such thing as time management, because you don't manage time. What you manage is your conduct." —  Mike Chastaine

Got a challenge growing your law practice? Email me at steve@fretzin.com with your toughest question, and I'll answer it live on the show—anonymously, just using your first name!

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Episode References: 

Profit First by Mike Michalowicz: https://www.amazon.com/Profit-First-Transform-Cash-Eating-Money-Making/dp/073521414X/

About Mike Chastaine: Mike Chastaine is an award-winning attorney, speaker, and author with decades of experience in and out of the courtroom. After 16 years as a public defender and six years at a large firm, he founded the Chastaine Law Office in 2007, growing it into a seven-figure practice recognized as the Best Criminal Defense Firm in Northern California. In 2021, he sold the firm and shifted his focus to coaching and consulting, helping attorneys build successful, sustainable practices. 

Connect with Mike Chastaine:  

Website: https://michaelchastaine.com/

Email: mike@chastainejones.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-chastaine-4683104/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mike.chastaine

Connect with Steve Fretzin:

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Instagram: @fretzinsteve

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Website: Fretzin.com

Email: Steve@Fretzin.com

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Call Steve directly at 847-602-6911

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