As a Futures trader that manages client accounts I have done some experimenting over the last few years to see what physical activities, habits and supplements help me function to the best of my abilities. In order to succeed I must be in sync with the markets and so must monitor the development from Sunday's open to Friday's close. Opening up a chart randomly when I feel like it and putting on a trade is not an option; it doesn't produce good results. To be most effective for my style of daily bar price action and volume profile trading I must know by memory every chart on a daily opening and closing basis. To do this I have optimized my trading systems as well as my daily routines to provide optimal efficiency across the board. I won't get into the trading systems other than I have custom notifications which log specific events to assist in tracking what is happening across all markets. Balancing sleep and physical activity while continuously monitoring markets. I tend to go to sleep between 10-12PM so I can check the status of my open positions at 3AM, 6AM and 930AM. Staying up too late, too often, eventually degrades judgement and performance. I have access to a vps via remote access on my iphone. This allows me to check the 3AM London open for developments. I will also check the 6AM. I usually don't enter trades at this time but rather check on existing trades which I have held overnight with no stops. This is also a good time to check for developing events in the news, catastrophes, terrorist events, etc. I have multiple feeds which I quickly scan to be sure all is well. My physical activities can vary. I will either go for a jog, lift weights (at home), or even just go for a walk, anything to get the blood flow moving (quickly), it really doesn't matter what it is as long as its something you do consistently without fail -- a more extensive workout can be done later in the day during the market close from 5-6PM if desired. Mental clarity and focus. Next I create a green smoothie which provides me with mental clarity, fullness and focus. The ingredients currently include: Almond Milk Acai with protein Peanut butter Handful of frozen fruits Kale E3 Live with Brain ON (Bioavailable) Bacopa Tribulus Maca Ginko Green Vibrance powder (includes all vitamins, minerals, probiotics and superfoods) Probiotics Bioavailable B12 Bioavailable Nascent Iodine The mixture I have selected above has been fined tuned to provide me with a steady laser guided focus throughout the trading day, I also have no need to eat until trading volume dries up around noon. I stay away from caffeine coffee or tea, it is addictive and causes your brain chemistry to change too much which can alter your trading performance. I have also recently added a berkey black water filtration system to remove all dangerous neurotoxic additives including Hydrofluorosilicic Acid, chlorine and thousands of other nervous system contaminants which alter decision making, risk taking abilities and overall consciousness. I don't buy into the flouride makes bones stronger hype, flouride is stored in the bones otherwise it would kill you. It is proven to decrease bone density via tensile strength tests. I also buy all organic and non-gmo foods so as not to poison the body and mind. I find this works best for me, would like to know what some of you are doing to optimize your trading outside the charts.
Thanks for the post of your daily routine. I myself did something similar about 20 years ago...consistently for about 5 years. One of the key variables in my routine was "sleep". My body could function on 5 hours of sleep but I really needed 8 - 9 hours of sleep especially if it was a stressful trading day. 1) Thus, it looks like you're only getting 3 - 5hrs of sleep per day then you're resting (not sleeping) between 0300am - 0930am ? If so, your sleep routine may be a ticking bomb especially when stress shows up (personal life or trading life). 2) Also, I was only able to do a routine like that when I was younger and single. Therefore, my question for you is what about your personal life and relationships because your routine seems to has none of that ? In addition, you mention Bacopa...that's something people in the upper age group usually take if they're into their health. 3) Do you have any health problems...reason why you're taking Bacopa ? 4) How are you taking it because it has a horrible taste ? By the way, I'm a strong believer in the mental aspect of trading and being able to manage stress along with thinking "clearly" in tough trading conditions. I've seen too many traders fall apart after a few losses or a bad day in the markets or personal life...their trading eventually suffers greatly. Thus, anyone that puts a lot of emphasis on the "health & fitness" as part of their daily routine as a trader... Hats off to them.
wrbtrader, To clarify I briefly check the charts during the London open if I have an open position on, otherwise I do tend to get in 6-10 hours of undisturbed sleep. I have added the medicinal herb bacopa monnieri because I feel that it is a safe way to boost cognitive function. Bacopa: ..."potent cognitive enhancer, stress reliever, and brain protectant. Bacopa monnieri is used to improve memory formation and speed of recall, make learning faster and easier, enhance clarity of thought, and augment overall brain function. It is also believed to act as a brain protectant, and studies show that it has potential as a treatment for dementia."... - braintropic.com I have investigated cognitive enhancers (nootropics) and I won't take any that have dangerous or addictive side effects. I try to stay with the natural stuff. I put everything in the smoothie, I believe that by mixing it with your saliva rather than digesting pills it is digested more effectively.
Yeah, i agree with the above with regard to sleep. Sleep is infinitely more important than all those supplements you are taking. edit: i see you addressed that
Apparently the pineal gland is responsible for sleep-wake cycles and is highly sensitive to incoming light, so I have gone as far as completely blacking out all windows to achieve 100% darkness at night. I also utilize the nighttime filters and sunglasses when I need to check charts during London open to limit eyestrain.
Well if its pertinent that I check on the position then yes I use the iphone alarm. There is also the option of bracketing the current price within two price alert levels that have text message notifications set up. However it also depends on the volatility of the instrument. Sometimes I want about 8 hours to pass before checking the progress because it just need time to test levels.
brucelevy, Thank you very much for the information. I've been taking some things on your list for many years but Bocapa is something I've been taking much longer. A good friend of my in the U.S. is a sports doctor and from South America that has worked with several university sports team. He's a user of Bocapa and highly recommended to me a long time ago when I was younger and competing. Last year (in the fall) I had a life/death illness that almost killed me. I spent a few months in a coma and the doctors stated it was a "miraculously recovery". They credit my excellent health/fitness with saving my life and with not having any irreparable damage especially my brain function. I don't have any facts (proof) beyond myself and a few others but I've always believed that what we eat or put into our bodies over an extended period of time has an enormous impact on how the body recovers from illness along with helping us manage stress...even when we are comatose from a traumatic event.
wrbtrader, I am sorry to hear you were in a coma just last fall, I'm glad you recovered... Thanks for sharing your story it made me realize that I should stop and appreciate the great level of health I am at now instead of solely focusing so much on making the next small incremental performance gain.
I have added Ginko, Ashwaganda and Colloidal Gold to add to the mix. Supposedly colloidal gold has a conductive effect on the body. Here is a good video discussing conductivity