How much time is too much to look at the charts?
When I started trading, I spent hours and hours in front of the charts. I could literally sit watching how the price didn't move, as if my gaze could push it up or down. Over time, I realized something important: over-watching the charts doesn't make you earn more money, but it can steal your calmness and energy.
Trading is not about watching every candle that forms; it's about planning, executing, and trusting your analysis. However, I understand how hard it is to stop watching. There is something hypnotic about those movements, about the candles going up and down… but also something exhausting.
Why can't we stop looking at the charts?
Our brain is a surveillance machine. It wants to feel in control, but here's the trick: in trading, you have no control over the market, only over your decisions. However, the market envelops us in an addictive cycle:
Hope: “What if the price moves right now?”
Fear: “What if I miss the perfect entry?”
Expectation: “A big movement is coming, I know it.”
That cycle can keep us glued to the screen for hours, even when the market is ranging or moving slowly. And the problem is that this excessive vigilance mentally exhausts you and makes you make impulsive decisions.
How much is too much and how much is too little?
There is no magic formula, but here is an idea:
1. Too much is when you are looking without purpose. If you don't have a clear plan for what you are looking for, you are wasting time and energy.
2. Little is when you are unprepared. If you don't review the charts enough to identify opportunities or adjust your plan, you could miss important movements.
The ideal is to find a balance. You don't need to be in front of the screen all day; you need to be there at the right moments.
Tools to free time and mind
To reduce time in front of the charts, these tools and habits have helped me a lot:
1. Use price alerts: Set alerts in the key zones where you expect the price to reach. This way, instead of constantly watching, you can wait for your platform to notify you.
2. Define specific hours: If you know that the market has more movements during the New York session, for example, focus on those hours. The rest of the day, dedicate time to other activities.
3. Have a clear trading plan: Before opening the charts, define your levels, goals, and possible entries. This helps you avoid the “infinite scroll” in search of opportunities that may not be there.
4. Learn to trust your analysis: Watching longer won't make the market move faster. Once you place your trade, trust your plan and let the price do its job.
5. Set limits: Use timers or planned breaks. If you have been watching the chart for more than 30 minutes without taking action, it's time to close the screen and do something else.
6. Shift focus to the long term: If you feel that the market is not moving and you are bored, maybe you are trading on too low a timeframe. Switching to broader frames (1 hour, 4 hours) can help you avoid the need for constant surveillance.
Calmness equals clarity
I realized that the best decisions I made were when I was calm, not when I was exhausted from watching charts for hours. Now, instead of constantly monitoring, I work on my plan, set alerts, and make sure to do something outside of trading: reading, going for a walk, or just relaxing. It's amazing how your mind clears when you're not glued to the screen.
Remember, trading is not a stamina race in front of the charts. It is a process of analysis, patience, and action. If you feel that the price is not moving, it is probably because it is not the right time to trade.
Conclusion: Less is more
Watching the charts does not make you a better trader, but learning to trust your analysis and leverage tools will. So the next time you feel like you've been staring at a candle that isn't moving for too long, ask yourself: am I watching out of habit or because there is really something to observe?
And don't forget: “The market rewards the patient, not those who look longer.”
