So I took 1/2 the 5 hour energy drink at 9AM and other 1/2 at 1PM to fight the afternoon slump. Other than quick bathroom breaks and few minutes to fix lunch, I had no problem today at all staying focused, from 9:15AM to about 3:30PM I sat infront of the screen watching the grass grow(price action). Totally absorbed in the price action. I must say posting my issue publicly is very cathartic, so I don't know if it was this or the dreaded 5 hrs drink, but the result was totally amazing today. Tomorrow is the red bull (sugar free) trial. For those interested in these props (mental dopping) to help focus, adderall is the medicine of choice for law/medical students to help them prepare for exams... http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/04/27/090427fa_fact_talbot
You were using automated traders and then you SWITCHED to day trading!? Haha that there in itself makes the job a lot more tedious. What automated trader were you using? If you want to help your concentration then try going to sleep earlier, taking a shower in the morning, eating something different during lunch, or eating a light snack while you are watching the screen. I'm personally too antsy for meditation..
These suggestions are the best. If you can't manage continuous 6 and 1/2 hours, have a long lunch away from the desk, go for a walk, go to the gym, watch TV. Like many other things, concentration on price action requires practice. When you feel you are startinmg to lose focus, have a break away from the screens. Over time the periods you can manage will become longer and require less effort. This is wrong on so many levels. First, if you don't know what your setup looks like you probably shouldn't consider entering a trade to start with. Then entering trades without a setup is a recipe for financial disaster. Finally, even if "entertainment" trades are enterd in small enough size so they don't matter, it still develops a bad habbit of not waiting for a good setup to enter a trade, which may take a long time to break.
Smoke some dope. That will calm your ass down lol. jk. I dont do this, but I herd of some traders that just focus on the first 1 and the last hour of the day. Try that.
Thank you all for your posts, many good comments. Regarding not trading through lunch, I am sorry but I don't get it. I mean we have a 'time sensitive' job, its not like we can take an hour off for lunch and come back and finish our work or catch up etc. how do you make up for a missed market opportunity. today and yesterday mkt had tremendous trends during the so called lunch hour from 11:30AM - 1PM... I have a few more useless comments, if anyone cares to read about my progress. -- As one poster said we are creatures of habit. I am happy to report my focus and concentration is steadily improving. No more TV in the background, no cell phones. I never leave the screen for more than 3 minutes at a time. -- entertainment trades are still a problem. -- 5 hour energy drink, very potent, really does its job. But I have grave concerns about 8000% vitamin B content. Also made me extermely hungry, so went on a eating binge every time I took it. discontinued after 3 times. -- Red bull, effective drink. I use it 2x a week. Have concerns about tuarine --sipping ice tea keeps me going with caffine and keeps the blood suger level optimal. -- upgraded my bike to a fancy hybrid. So riding it for 40 minutes every other day. -- working with a life coach once a week, mainly on discipline issues etc -- looking into GNC focus vitamins -- looking into time management, breaking the day in smaller chunks.