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Heading Off Trader Burnout By Adrienne Toghraie, Trader’s Coach www.TradingOnTarget.com Recently, a serious young trader told me that he desperately needed to do nothing for a while, that he was so stressed from long hours and overwork that he felt that he would explode, and that he was exhausted from lack of sleep. “I’ll take some time off in the winter,” he concluded. “No!” I protested. “You need to take time off now. You’re in imminent danger of burning out and once you burn out, there’s a very good chance you won’t come back.” Unfortunately, trader burnout is too often fatal. Once the fire is out, there is not enough energy in the system to ignite it again. At that point, traders leave the profession, not from failure but from an excess of internal pressure to succeed. The physical energy, passion, and just plain endurance to trade can be depleted even in the most ardently committed traders if they do not take the time and effort to conserve their precious personal resources and replenish them on a regular basis. So here is a strategy for heading off burnout. Learn to recognize the signs that you are nearing burnout: a loss of energy and motivation; a nagging feeling that you desperately need to rest and relax; a continual sense of urgency about your trading; complaints from your spouse that you are short-tempered, distracted, working too much and paying too little attention to your family; the awareness that you are out of the loop about the most vital current affairs; finding yourself yelling at the other drivers on the road, at the news on the television, or losing it over small matters. Enlist those closest to you in protecting you from burnout. Explain to your spouse that you need her/his emotional and physical support in reducing the stress on you rather than increasing it. Identify the issues in your life that are adding to your stress and ask your family’s help in addressing those issues. Get daily physical exercise. Take walks, run in the park, play tennis or handball with a friend, go bowling with your family. Get out into nature. Make sure that your intake of food and drink supports your nutritional needs – in other words, no junk food. Get to bed early on a regular basis. Get plenty of sleep. Stop watching the news before bedtime. Read a good book instead. Meditate every morning upon arising. This may be the most important step you can take. The effect is both immediate and long lasting (up to 12 hours). Then, before you go to sleep, list three things that happened that day for which you are grateful. It doesn’t matter what they are, just that you are appreciative. You will wake up feeling good about your life. Have fun. Take vacation time and use it to travel, to enjoy life. Spend time with your family and your friends. Put enjoyment back into your daily life. Remember what is important to you and why you love trading. Be good to yourself. Reward yourself for your hard work. Smile and laugh out loud. Taking these steps will head off burnout and put zest back into your trading and your life.