Screentime: How much or little do you put in?

[Priceman]

Do you need to put in endless hours in front of the screen(s) to be successful?

In my early days I seemed to be watching and analysing everything that happened and trying to map out the scenario that could happen next based on what had already happened. I spent hours on end including the weekends looking at possible scenarios. Now I don't have the time anymore to do that (no longer single and with a nipper it's impossible ) so I look in every few hours around my working day. If I ever decided to go full-time as a trader would I revert back to watching every minute? I am still managing to 'nick' my little bit from the market and without putting in the time that I used to. Is this due to my previous hard work that I understand what I'm looking at better? Is it that I have changed my strategy to cater for my personal life?

I like to think that I can do my day job and trade part-time and increase my account like that. There may come a day where I can give up the day job and still put in part-time hours to the trading. Are the really successful ones here only watching the screen a few hours here and there, or are you constantly altering the goal/ target after 12hours per day in front of your computer?

I now put roughly 2-3hours per day in...

Grateful for any views and comments

 

[dc2000]

Pretty much the same here for the early days I had 8 screens news feeds data feeds comming out of my ears total information overload the good news is that as your trading improves you learn to filter out the information you don't need and be ever more selective about the trades you are looking for this gives the added bonus of more leisure time.

It is true that when trading becomes boreing your profit increases there are still days that get you fired up, you see a set up comming and you slap it with size, better than sex( almost)

These days I spend about 30 mins working out what trades and what markets I want to watch the next day about an hour early morning and a couple of hours around the open of the US markets and close of the European the rest of the time is spent doing other things with audio alert when a price is reached

 

[dusktrader]

It is true that when trading becomes boreing your profit increases there are still days that get you fired up, you see a set up comming and you slap it with size, better than sex( almost)

So true, even about the sex
I can't help being excited when I see a "textbook trade" setting up but I no longer settle for anything less, and therefore the majority of the time it really is "boring" waiting for the setups.

 

[damianoakley]

I have never been a fan of screen-watching, but like most beginners, I thought many years ago that endless screen-watching was the only way to make a living from trading.

Now I've wised up, I spend 1 hour maximum each morning setting up my trades and then i'm done till the next morning.

I think that endless screen-watching defeats the purpose of trading in the first place: to obtain freedom. I'd sooner do a standard 9-5 than sit in front of my computer all day whilst the world passes me by outside the window.

Each to their own of course.


Thanks

Damian

 

[Priceman]

Just looked at the four trades I made last Thursday and Friday... I was successful four times out of four and took 65 pips in a total of 2 hours. I didn't even stay in front of the screen! Didn't make as much as Soc does and probably never will but if I can keep that up I'll be more than happy on that reward:time input.

Sitting in front of the computer all day long is so yesterday

PS you watch I'll have a string of 10 losers now!!