Beginner Trader's Guide: 3 Essential Time Management Tips

The life of a beginner trader is not at all simple. After the initial enthusiasm - the same enthusiasm that led them to embark on a trading career - they face the first difficulties and results that don't come. The goal of generating wealth through trading is achievable and remains valid even after the first defeats. These are indeed physiological, and always serve as a prelude to the most brilliant careers. It is however desirable that this transition period, this sort of limbo or purgatory, lasts as little as possible. Hence the need to adjust the trajectory, to acquire as quickly as possible some skills that, unfortunately, are rarely transmitted by manuals and courses. An important skill, which we could define as a sort of soft skill, is time management. The concept of time is fundamental in trading, also because it impacts most of the actions that the trader, whether beginner or not, must carry out. We discuss it here, clarifying the difficulties that the less experienced encounter in time management and providing some advice.

The recurring problem of beginner traders

A substantial part of the failures that beginner traders encounter derives precisely from poor time management and a misinterpretation of time dynamics. The reference is to the training period, whose duration is not codified and is therefore entrusted on one hand to the trader's self-assessment, on the other hand to the planning of courses and educational paths. Moreover, they are rarely tailored to the individual student. However, the reference is also to the time horizon that marks the achievement of the first results. The neophyte trader often asks themselves: by when will the first results arrive? What should I expect from here to the next few weeks or months? Finally, the reference is also to the cycles and micro-cycles of the market, to the dynamics that mark - certainly not exactly precisely - the price movements. The advice we will provide shortly focuses precisely on these points.

Tip #1: don't be in a hurry to earn

The truth is that there is no predefined time horizon within which to expect tangible results. What is certain is that at the beginning these struggle to arrive and force the trader to experience a period of stagnation or even loss. The advice is not to be in a hurry, to continue on your own path, putting into practice what you learned during the training period. At the same time, if a codified time horizon does not exist, it is good to create it yourself. How to do it? A fairly safe method is to talk to other traders with established careers but who started from the same point, who began with a similar set of skills. In this way, it is possible to have an idea of the time horizon and even set a deadline. Assuming, of course, that a numerical meaning is given to this deadline, a quantifiable objective is assigned. In short, it is the trader themselves who, personally, must set the goal of earning "X" within a period of time equal to "Y". The high probability of staying for a certain period in the limbo of missed earnings or in the purgatory of losses determines a corollary: it is necessary, at least for the first times, to invest only what you can risk. The prospect, if you act otherwise, is to transform the attempt to succeed in trading into a reason for economic ruin. In short, the transition period must be sustained.

Tip #2: practice planning and self-discipline

The concept of time management should also be understood in a literal sense, that is, as the set of those actions that optimize the available time. To begin with, it is necessary to carve it out during the day and reserve a precise and regular portion of the day, week, etc. for trading activity. This allows you to take trading seriously, to experience it almost as if it were a job or at least a long-term commitment. How many hours a day to dedicate to trading? Again, a univocal answer does not exist. It depends on the trader's possibilities and above all on the style they have adopted. It is obvious that if you operate in "daily" mode, the hours must be many, while if you operate in "swing" mode, the number of hours can decrease. In any case, once the plan is drawn up, a sort of personal calendar, it is essential to keep the bar straight and practice maximum discipline.

Tip #3: Move with the market

There are various approaches in trading, some of which are bold. However, many advise following the trend, at least until the ability to act in the opposite direction has been developed. Following the trend, however, means following the timing of the market. It means knowing them and behaving accordingly. Here, time management, in this case, transforms into knowledge of time. Theory can help, so the quality of the educational path has a significant impact. However, every day spent analyzing and operating can become useful for better understanding the mechanisms - temporal and otherwise - that are at the basis of the market.

Beginner Trader's Guide: 3 Essential Time Management Tips

The recurring problem of beginner traders

Tip #1: don't be in a hurry to earn

Tip #2: practice planning and self-discipline

Tip #3: Move with the market

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The recurring problem of beginner traders

Tip #1: don't be in a hurry to earn

Tip #2: practice planning and self-discipline

Tip #3: Move with the market

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