Hey friends! What the heck is the TRADE method? In my last blog post, “How to Do a Brain Dump (Brain Drop Box) with Tula XII,” we chatted about ways to start organizing your mental clutter. The best way to begin was by participating in a Brain Drop Box. But what’s next after that? How do you take all those thoughts and get them organized so you can start tackling your to-do list? Let’s dive into the next step with my simple and effective TRADE Method.

So, I’ve read Brian Tracy’s “Eat That Frog” a million times and love it, but I needed something more structured than the woulds, coulds, and shoulds. I wanted an acronym to help me get super organized and keep my task list under control. That’s why I developed the TRADE Method. It’s my go-to way to remember the key parts of organizing my task list regularly.

TRADE Method: T – Top Three:

This one is super easy!!! It is taking a look at your brain drop box and determining what your top three tasks for the day are. You can break down by appointments, tasks that have a deadline, or tasks that are helping you move closer to a bigger goal.

TRADE Method: R – Routine:

These are the routine tasks in your day. This will include, the chores, the meal planning, making beds, doing laundry, taking out the garbage, and washing dishes. It will also include those chores that you change each day, cleaning the bathroom, sweeping and mopping the floors, cleaning out the fridge etc. This is a great way to stay on top of the household chores and making them a part of your everyday routine.

TRADE Method: A – Action:

These are the tasks that require you to take some kind of action and fill in the other nooks and crannies in your day. Grocery shopping, running errands, planning for family activities, working on your business, taking care of your “not top three” tasks, but ones that don’t necessarily have a time limit and therefore can be done when you have time in your day.

TRADE Method: D – Delegate:

This is where I hop back into Brian Tracy’s book, Eat That Frog, because I think these last two steps are super important because they help to make the planning process more balanced. The first is to delegate. If there are tasks on your to do list that can be done by others that can alleviate some stress from your day then it is okay to ask for some assistance.

Teaching young children how to do their laundry, take out the garbage, or care for a pet are some of the easier ones. But this also would consistent of asking a spouse for help, a co-worker, or maybe someone you are on a planning committee with, depending on the task you need help with.

TRADE Method: E – Eliminate:

This doesn’t mean to eliminate it completely. What it means is to take stock of the thought as it comes to you, and file it on a task list that is further out that the current one you are working with. If you have a thought come to mind about something you want to do in the future, don’t dismiss it. Acknowledge that it came, find it a more permanent home on a To Do Later list, and save room in your head for more pressing issues.

The elimination part is super important for this process because if you don’t take into consideration that thought it will keep nagging at you until you give it space in your mind. And if you aren’t in a place where you can do anything about it, all it is doing is adding to anxiety and overwhelm. Bless and release it to a new home.

This method of to do list organization is something that I use everyday with my Tula XII inserts. I am mindful in my Brain Drop Box, and take into consideration each of these steps when I am organizing my task list for the day. My favorite insert to use for this is the Brain Dump Weekly, but there is also the Top Three Weekly which will serve the same purpose. You can also use a To Do List or a To Do Now/Later List as well to help gets those tasks organized into a more approachable manner. Check them out below: