Productive Relaxation

With the holidays upon us, tis’ the time for our usual routines to get a little..jumbled!

Whether traveling for family or friends, dealing with setbacks to diet intentions or drinking limits, or fighting some of the winter blues, life can feel both exciting and overwhelming right now.

Nonetheless, unusual schedules and plans can sometimes offer atypical opportunities to carve out some space for yourself. Many folks are able to get some time off work during the next week, and even if your social life is about to get ramped up, it’s possible to make time to take a break and do some personal development work.

As day traders, this means we get to take a few days off of trading, or even a whole week or two, while markets are lower in volume and volatility.

However, just because we’re not trading, doesn’t mean we can’t use this opportunity to reflect on where we are on the learning curve and do something to educate ourselves on new trading tactics and discipline skills.

Learning can be a very joyful and enriching experience! It’s far easier to get engrossed in learning a skill when you know you have time and space to go as deep as you like! Activities like reading and watching YouTube videos about trading (like those on the Disciplined FX YouTube channel) can be relaxing and inspiring with the right mindset and environment.

Thus, here are some ways you can develop yourself as a trader this week while also giving yourself some respite and rest!

<< WANT A LIST OF RESOURCES TO USE FOR ANY OF THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES? CHECK OUT OUR FREE STUDY GUIDE! >>

5 Activities for Productive and Relaxing Ways to Develop Yourself as a Day Trader

  1. Grab a trading book or personal development book (great for developing discipline!) and go to your favorite coffee shop, cafe, or even a pub. Get your favorite holiday drink. Sit down with your book, a notebook, and pen, as well as headphones for playing a soothing playlist (I recommend calm jazz!), and allow yourself the time and space to enjoy the experience of reading and learning for an hour or more. 
  2. Grab your favorite holiday treat (or drink), go somewhere you can wrap up in a blanket and get cozy, like your couch or bed, and watch trading videos on your phone, tv, or computer. Keep a notebook nearby to jot down good ideas!
  3. Take a soothing bath, with music, bath bubbles, and spend at least fifteen minutes visualizing your trading goals for the coming year. Imagine what it would feel like to make money from prop trading or build your account to a size that lets you quit your day job. Think about what you need to do to get there. After the bath, write some of your ideas down in a journal or electronic note.
  4. If you’re flying for the holidays, be sure to bring a trading resource or download a video you can study during your flight. This is one of the best environments to focus on with less distractions! Some of my most powerful insights and journaling experiences were from reading during international flights. This is prime learning time!
  5. Similar to #3, you can go for a long walk, jog, or run, and listen to audiobooks, YouTube videos, or just reflect on your trading goals while getting fresh air and moving oxygenated blood throughout your body! 

productive relaxation tradingAlmost all of these activities can be performed even if you’re not at home for the holidays. If you need to, make a hard boundary with family and friends for at least ONE HOUR of time for yourself! (#1 and #5 are particularly good for “getting away”)

If you’re as determined to succeed with day trading as I think you are, you’re going to want to make the most of your time, even when you’re on break from trading or from work.

Furthering your personal development and trading education are prime activities during periods of rest and reflection. I hope you can use these sample experiences to make time for yourself this week and prepare for a new trading year ahead! I want this to be the year for you when you accelerate and make it in the markets!

Happy Holidays, everyone!

If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to the Disciplined FX newsletter to get posts like these sent to your inbox each week!