Days off

[Keefter]

I trade fulltime, I usually try to have a day of every week to recharge the batteries, the day of choice is forever changing. It was Sundays for a while (you can do more on a Sunday, since mostly your friends and family also have a day off), then I tried Mondays, and also had a dabble with Tuesdays. mixing up the Mondays and Tuesdays was a market driven decision. These tend to be quiet and or Spoofy.

So my question to you guys who trade fulltime: Do you take a day off? if so which day and why?

Keefter

[RobinHood]

I usually trade everyday, but i'm planning on taking free days on mondays or fridays because recently that's when market usually crushes my expectations on how the odds will move.

[bazbaz]

Normally sunday and monday, maybe another day in the week too(!). I did last sunday and it was quite good, monday maybe the worst day for trading. You gotta take some time off though, you'll end up crazy. Trading can be so stressful that at least for me I need 2 or 3 days off to relax properly, one day off just papers over the cracks. I almost always find I have a great day the first day back after a break

[jimrobo]

its a hard one really! I tend to say apart from saturdays if there is anything on I will go and do that but if I dont have any plans I may as well trade it. You have to be really disciplined to take days off though. Its hard to not trade sometimes!!

[1/4 of a millionaire fund]

I used to take Sundays and possibly Mondays off during the summer as the night racing made everything a bit too full on but since October I haven't purposely taken a day off other than some weeks away with the family or the odd days out. I only ever do the UK racing so 3 1/2 hours a day trading isn't a problem and even then in reality it's very little time actual trading as I'm only active a few mins before the off so rarely feel the need to recharge, more a case of what to do with the time and avoid looking to trade other markets.

Like Keefter says the problem is we get so much free time trading but there's usually no one around until the weekend to make the most of it, so the majority of my time off is Saturdays/Sundays but not usually by choice.

[Scumbag trader]

Sundys and mondays for me, and thursdays if i am really lazy.

[jimrobo]

I've just got a personal trainer who comes round in the mornings and kicks my ass into shape. I had really started to get lazy from trading fulltime!

[Keefter]

I almost always find I have a great day the first day back after a break

Thats interesting Baz, I find it goes one way or the other, either superb or completely dire. Which ever way, its always attributed to the day off!

[Keefter]

I used to take Sundays and possibly Mondays off during the summer as the night racing made everything a bit too full on but since October I haven't purposely taken a day off other than some weeks away with the family or the odd days out. I only ever do the UK racing so 3 1/2 hours a day trading isn't a problem and even then in reality it's very little time actual trading as I'm only active a few mins before the off so rarely feel the need to recharge, more a case of what to do with the time and avoid looking to trade other markets.

Like Keefter says the problem is we get so much free time trading but there's usually no one around until the weekend to make the most of it, so the majority of my time off is Saturdays/Sundays but not usually by choice.

Towards the later end of the summer I found Mon/Tues and their 2 race card afternoons a complete nightmare, I probably won't make the same mistake of trying to persevere with them next year.

[Anonymous]

I personally hate having a day off. I tend to trade my best when I don't have any time off. I get into what I call the long term zone where I can just turn up each day and be in the trading zone mindset. I find a day off breaks that and it can often take me a few days to get back into my stride.

I think a lot of the problem is just myself telling myself that I lose my stride after taking time off and nothing else. I.E. I take a day off on Monday and when I sit back down on Tuesday I think take it easy, use half stakes you have broken your stride and it kind of becomes a self fulfilling problem. Now whenever I take time off I automatically think I am breaking my stride.

And as we know trading is mainly a mental mind battle as opposed to the actual trading process. This is a habit I need to break really but find it very hard to do so.

Also when taking a day off I am all to aware that I am not making anything that day. I have been known to trade for more than 2 months without a day off. I just prefer to trade until I burn out and then take a couple of days off. However I am sure as I get older I will burn out quicker and when my personal circumstances change next year I know I will be taking at least a day if not 2 off a week.

As Keefter says though the weekend is the best time to have time off from a social point of view but not financially imo. I think the best days to skip are Mondays and Tuesdays.

[Torrezno]

I don't trade full time, just for fun at anytime I can (normally daily) and always when Im not on work, or with family.

[rhysmr2]

Sunday for me, has been for ages.

[rockaren]

Mondays for me, but i am not a fulltime trader.

Somebody told me long time ago......stay away from trading horses on mondays ;)

Not sure if he mean liquidity or something strange with monday markets and I am not really sure about how monday markets are these days.

Anyway i feel like i need some rest every Monday after all soccer and NFL games.

[Gamblor]

Also when taking a day off I am all to aware that I am not making anything that day.

This is something I have really struggled with in the past, even getting to the point of resenting days out with the family as missed opportunities, checking my mobile for match situations and winding myself up as to all the 'lost' money due to being away from my pc.

I found what helped me was to treat my trading as a job, so I should have the same perks which go with a job ie holidays. I was used to setting aside x amount of my daily earnings from my days contracting so I just applied this to my trading, so in effect even though I was away from trading I was earning.

I also make sure I have a schedule of upcoming tests, one dayers, 2020, pro40 whatever for the next few months, my thing is the cricket and its getting to the point where its every day so impossible to trade every one.

Helps remembering with sport betting there is always tomorrow.

[TheSurgeon]

http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv296/DeePaignall/Sunday1.jpg

Traded a Sunday for a change (thanks to being snowed in), Southall was a pleasure, no funny money and well behaved, might even be worth having a go on 'Manic Monday'.:D