Did you take time off from trading?

The most break I have taken since I started is about a week, but I have only been trading seriously for 6 months or so. I need another week soon. Trading can be stressful. I do it full time now (not yet living on profits though), so I try to do other things throughout the day like work out and get out of the house to reduce the stress and aggravation from losses etc. It's also hard on your eyes and I sit there for about 6 hours a day.

Lao Tzu - Muddy Water


"Muddy Water, let stand, becomes clear."
~ Lao Tzu


There are lots of research that shows that after study (learning or experience), while asleep OR focusing on totally unrelated subjects (on idle mode), that the brain reorganizes information and makes new connections. They found that when the brain is resting, taking a break from the focus topic, or on idle, that the brain develops better neuro-pathways, compared to not taken a break or time-offs.

In conclusion, instead of studying for 12hrs straight you should be studying 30-45mins intervals with a break from 15mins and even up to 1day. The longer you study, the longer the break. Another example, if you have been studying forex for 3 days , it is good to have a break for 1-2 days. Been learning for 1month, have a break for a week. This leads to better retention, recall, recollection, creativity and deeper understanding and learning.


Peace,
CrucialPoint

The most noticeable difference is a lack of noise. If I have an extraordinary month I take about 2 weeks off. If I force myself to make trades I second guess myself and when I look back on those trades I can see how scattered my mind was...Punch drunk traders see things that aren't there.

@ CrucialPoint "...They found that when the brain is resting, taking a break from the focus topic, or on idle, that the brain develops better neuro-pathways, compared to not taken a break or time-offs"

I heard of that research before as well, and it's so true with everything in life.

Sometime in life, and as you go on your trading journey, you only begin to understand things days, weeks, or even years from the time you learned them (depending on the complexity of the subject). - not even speaking in terms of minutes and good learning habits.

If you look back at the way you were a couple of years ago or when you first started trading, you may not even be able to comprehend how you got to this point because the change is so drastic.

Totally agree. Take a break especially if you're in a slump. Any athlete or performer can't keep up the pace all the time. If I go on holiday I ensure I don't even have any long term positions on. I want zero thoughts about it. Whenever I come back to it after a holiday, my results justify the break I took.

Yes I take regular breaks now and just look at weekly charts, draw my interesting areas and wait until price gets there. When I'm trading now on a good run, I look every 4 hours but that's about it

Previously I traded short term (5m, 15m 1hr) charts and was never away from the thing - without much success. Then I took a 6 month break away from it completely to investigate a few things.

Then came back with new trading plan, new strategy and much improved results. Taking a break from it all is good - don't be the same as a gambler and be hooked!