Take a break

The following article has been taken from "Mental Edge Newsletter" which is sent regularly by Michael Shropshire since last two years.
Although it has been written specifically for us share traders, it is applicable for all people in all walks of life. This same thing had been said by the Mexican fisherman in our blog a few days ago. One should understand, the earth's burden is not on your shoulders. The world has run for millions of years without you and will continue to do so after you for millions of years. The Almighty is there to take care of everything. So take a break. The world will not fall.

Seeking Balance
I went for a walk yesterday in a state park full of giant redwoods that have stood for over a thousand years. As I saw the sun glisten through the leaves, I could not help but think how small I felt standing among them. It is often said that when one looks at nature, one sees a different perspective. Day after day we are often consumed with life’s problems, such as how to make enough money to pay the bills or how to accomplish enough to feel that we are moving forward. But in the big scheme of things, we are like a small fish in a big pond. There is a bigger world around us and when we remember our place in the world, we feel better. We put the relatively minor frustrations of our daily lives in perspective. There was a storm in Denver on Sunday and flooding in Florida over the past week. As much as we try to control our destiny, it is not always in our control. This fact of life can be frustrating at times, but also reassuring, since it illustrates the usefulness of putting things in perspective.

It's vital for long-term success that you seek psychological balance: Make sure that your life is multi-faceted. Make sure that you have fun in areas outside of trading. Enjoy spending time in fulfilling relationships, and enjoy life to the fullest. The more you can balance trading with more pleasurable and genuinely meaningful activities, the more you will be able to ensure long-term success.

Many novice traders falsely believe that they must devote all available time and energy to trading. Although trading is a challenge and demands hard work and a heroic effort, it is also a profession that is stressful and demands creative problem solving. A trader must reconcile these two seemingly opposing forces. If trading weren't so demanding, it may be possible to focus on it exclusively. But trading has a significant psychological component, and if this psychological component isn't addressed, performance will be compromised. So it is necessary to address both the challenges of trading and a need to relax and rejuvenate.

How can one put in the necessary time and effort to trade consistently, but also find time to relax and re-energize? Although it is a challenge to find balance, it is necessary. When you are stressed out, you can't think clearly and execute trades with the proper mental edge. So you must find the time to rest, take your mind off trading for a while, and build up energy to retackle the markets. Don't get in a psychological rut by refusing to rest and take a break. There's a paradox you should consider. If you work constantly without taking frequent breaks, you'll actually waste much more time than had you worked for shorter periods with frequent breaks. Trading isn't a factory job where you have to work to keep the assembly line moving. You can take breaks from your work schedule with no adverse consequences.

Don't forget to appreciate the advantages of working as a trader. Trading offers freedom, freedom to spend time with your family, friends, and loved ones. Trading provides the means to enjoy life. So regardless of whether you've been trading profitably in recent weeks, reward yourself by taking a nice, well-deserved break. One of the reasons you're trading is to enrich your life. It's important to remember that. It's important to celebrate what life has to offer. If you are not enjoying your life to the fullest, it will gnaw at you. In the back of your mind you'll think, "Why am I spending my life trading?" Use this time to remember why you trade. Remind yourself about what really matters to you. Make sure that you have balance between working as a trader and the things that give your life a deeper meaning. It’s easy to forget at times, but vital to remember: Balance matters.