rcj, I would love to start trading the YM with you again...That would be awesome. I'm finished with Forex...don't ask... eS
i think i would be very boring to be aroung right now, trading wise. Extreme caution for me here the next few weeks. The current mix of variables causing much of the PA in YM/ES: Debt limit contest, budget, EU/PiiG, and possible sudden FED actions, is keeping me at very low risk. Very little trading next few weeks for me it looks like. i did take one tiny piker trade today made 3 ticks.
I suppose that I will be able to just close up shop at close someday, but I think it takes a lot of hard work to get there. It is by no means unreachable but it is not going to be easy.
If trading is just a hobby, academic pursuit or part-time gig...it's more easily left at the door at the end of the day. In contrast, if your trading for a living (sole source of income), it's a lot more difficult to leave it at the door in the beginning. Yet, if you become consistently profitable, you will eventually start to leave it at the door as you gain more work experience sort'uv speak. Also, very few traders are able to reach that point where it's just a job. Those that do, their trading is usually organized and managed like any other successful self-employed business owner. In addition, the reality is that a retail trader working at home are usually looked down upon in comparison to a retail trader that's renting an office space in an office building. I think the latter has less social peer pressure and has more social opportunities for the same person that has tried both (home vs office). I started my career in an office building and then went to home office. Now that my kids are getting bigger...I will go back to office building...renting/sharing an office space with other traders or financial professionals. Mark
End of the day? No. End of the week for me. Saturday I break completely from the market and get away from the screens. From Sunday's open to Friday's close my monitors are on and my mind is on the market. After so many years and repetitions, my mind just works that way. I enjoy thinking about the market, however. Trading is a game; if it's not fun, there's no point in doing it. There are many choices as to how to spend one's time. I started at an office with a trading firm. I don't miss the commute. The benefit of having other traders around is a hit or miss thing. Mostly a miss for me. I prefer to trade alone and connect with others afterward. Not traders; that's what the internet is for. Sweet, pretty women are the best.
I go a similar route. Sunday evening thru Friday noon. Come 5pm on Friday, I am a completely different person.
I indeed have other life besides trading. Though trading is important to me too, others can't just be left behind.
At some point in the evening I have to force myself to not think about the markets. But if I didn't consciously do so, I'd be seeing chart patterns 24/7..even minutes before sleep. It can definitely be an obsession. But a break from it, willing or not, can only help one's clarity for the next trading day I think.