How Do You Deal with the Boredom and Loneness

[Dithsoer 10]

I am certainly not new to trading, but I still think this belongs here. For those day traders who can answer, how do you deal with the boredom, loneliness, even depression that comes with being a full-time trader? I mean I love trading, it's the best job in the world, but still, if you've been doing it long enough, you'll know exactly what I mean. My wife works outside the home so I'm alone in front of that screen all day long, 90% lonesome boredom and 10% terror. I was just curious how other traders deal with this rarely spoken of aspect of full-time trading.

 

Sure, I watch the news feeds and I'm constantly checking some chart or another, but it's a damn lonely life that we choose to lead.

[SIUYA 11]

I am certainly not new to trading, but I still think this belongs here. For those day traders who can answer, how do you deal with the boredom, loneliness, even depression that comes with being a full-time trader? I mean I love trading, it's the best job in the world, but still, if you've been doing it long enough, you'll know exactly what I mean. My wife works outside the home so I'm alone in front of that screen all day long, 90% lonesome boredom and 10% terror. I was just curious how other traders deal with this rarely spoken of aspect of full-time trading.

 

Sure, I watch the news feeds and I'm constantly checking some chart or another, but it's a damn lonely life that we choose to lead.

 

100% agree.

I used to rent a place with some mates - that helped (some hinderance - but mostly good)

 

Now I am in the UK, i dont feel like sharing with strangers or commuting with the great unwashed. So to ease the boredom, i have done numerous little projects, backtesting, trying to automate things, developed excedl programs for accounting, reconciliation, blah blah,I read a lot, record programs on TV and set up alerts, inest in a few other businesses that i help out with once a week etc.

Its the thing about the job that I hate (especially when its dark at 8am and 4pm in London)

and often think about doing something completely different and keep some more longer term trades which might only trigger once a week or so.

 

This would also get the wife off the back when she says - what did you do today, and can you do x,y,z tomorrow for me - flutter eyelids.

[Colonel B 10]

I hear you man. I came here to this forum to find other traders to converse with maybe during the day or after the close. Yea it hasn't turned into what I wanted or expected. how do I deal with it? I try to trade as quickly as I can so I can get out of my house or come here and troll around.

[TheDude 10]

 

 

 

uuuugh?

 

If you're making money, fly to Monaco, go to Jimmy's.You wont be lonely there - or depressed! Geez dude - get out more! Trade to live, dont live to trade - you just become a brokers bitch. Sorry, that's how it is........

 

Money isnt the answer to any big personal voids or questions though. If you get depressed with the isolation, then do something about it.You shouldnt be in front of screens more than 6hrs tops - JMPO. Some of the best do 2-3 only. If you've got mental issues/not happy, you wont trade well. You need to be 'there', not 'elsewhere' whether its day trading or positions....

[Colonel B 10]

Well yea sure. But I don't just hang out waiting for trades for hours like the needy and the greedy. I make my money and get out. In doing as much I have learned that there is more to life then trading and sitting in front of a computer all day.

[TheDude 10]

Well yea sure. But I don't just hang out waiting for trades for hours like the needy and the greedy. I make my money and get out. In doing as much I have learned that there is more to life then trading and sitting in front of a computer all day.

 

yeah. I cant delete the posts???? :helloooo:

 

i kinda got the wrong end of the stick....:doh:

[jpennybags 11]

I am certainly not new to trading, but I still think this belongs here. For those day traders who can answer, how do you deal with the boredom, loneliness, even depression that comes with being a full-time trader? I mean I love trading, it's the best job in the world, but still, if you've been doing it long enough, you'll know exactly what I mean. My wife works outside the home so I'm alone in front of that screen all day long, 90% lonesome boredom and 10% terror. I was just curious how other traders deal with this rarely spoken of aspect of full-time trading.

 

Sure, I watch the news feeds and I'm constantly checking some chart or another, but it's a damn lonely life that we choose to lead.

 

Personally, I have a very short social candle... burns bright for a time, but not a long time. My preference is found in being alone, but I'm never lonely or bored. I've been this way from childhood. In that regard, I'm a natural for this business. When I took up trading full time, I did have to make some adjustments, as my previous career was one that required a lot of interaction throughout the day. I missed the give and take that goes on when working with others and I found a great deal of satisfaction in being part of a team... loved my job.

 

One of the amusing things that I noticed after a few months was that I was more willing to strike up conversations with total strangers. I found this amusing as I had never been one to do that. So, in some regards I've become slightly more affable. It doesn't take me long to get my "people fix" for the day; a trip to the grocer usually does it. If I feel the need for more there is a local pub that I frequent. I speak with family and friends on a daily basis, and make it a priority to have dinner out with someone once a week.

 

I'm completing my 3rd year trading full time, and seem to have adapted to it. To me, the freedom that trading affords is the main draw; don't really care about getting rich. I've usually dragged off what I need by lunch time... close the books... get my people fix for the day... I'm good.

[Dithsoer 10]

"One of the amusing things that I noticed after a few months was that I was more willing to strike up conversations with total strangers. I found this amusing as I had never been one to do that. So, in some regards I've become slightly more affable. It doesn't take me long to get my "people fix" for the day; a trip to the grocer usually does it. If I feel the need for more there is a local pub that I frequent. I speak with family and friends on a daily basis, and make it a priority to have dinner out with someone once a week.

 

I'm completing my 3rd year trading full time, and seem to have adapted to it. To me, the freedom that trading affords is the main draw; don't really care about getting rich. I've usually dragged off what I need by lunch time... close the books... get my people fix for the day... I'm good."

 

 

 

 

I agree with you completely on the first sentence, noticed it myself. Thanks for the point of view and something to consider. It's just kind of hard when you don't know any other traders in your life, and when ever you mention what you do. . . . well, you know how it goes, everyone is fascinated by the idea of the money and think you must be making millions a day, but they just don't understand what it's really like. Then they feel alienated from me because of what I do, we've all experienced it so you know what I mean. "You trade stocks! How much do you make a day?" "Well, today I worked my azz off and lost $128.00, but man did I WORK to only lose that much."

At least I'm not the only person who trades that experiences this. . . .

[Ammeo 10]

i started my trading career with scalping and making quick 5-20 mins trades bt soon i realized that needed too much attention and more time in front of computer as u dont want to lose any scalping opportunity that comes through..so soon i turned myself to a swing trader and im much happier and at ease with this style of trading.i dont give more than 5 hours a day to trading and have much more time to do other stuff in my life ,go out ,hang with friends ,give more time to family and so on...