Just as a craftsman keeps his tools sharp, clean and well organized, so must a futures trader keep his “tools” in peak operating condition. A futures trader’s ultimate tools are his mind and his body. Yes, we use systems, triggers, indicators, charts and other tools and tactics — all important. But without the human trigger they are useless. If you do not take care of your physical and mental self and keep yourself in peak trading condition, you will not be able to maintain the level of concentration, stamina, quick reflexes and clear thinking necessary to succeed as a futures trader.
Human physiology affects our ability to achieve the mental, physical and emotional control needed to succeed as a futures trader. Like primitive hunters, futures traders are competing in a hostile world that demands total concentration and lightening reflexes to survive. All the technology we use can make many of our tasks, like analysis and charting, easier and can increase our profitability as futures traders; but technology is just a tool. Ultimately, we must rely on our mind and our body to pull the trigger and make the trade.
The goal of the futures trader is to achieve the total synergy of mind and body called the Alpha Zone. You have entered the Alpha Zone when your mental, physical and emotional control is at its peak. When this happens you are trading “in the zone.”
While some traders utilize biofeedback techniques to help them learn to achieve this state, there are a number of common sense things you can do to get yourself in the zone.
- Listen to your biological clock. Humans are hard wired to hunt during the day and sleep at night. Over the centuries though the human clock has gotten shaken up a bit, so that today we don’t all reach our optimum operating peak at the same time of day. (We’ve all know people whose brains don’t seem to click on until noon, the “not a morning person” types.) Try to trade during the time of day when you know you’re at your best. You can help yourself by trading in a bright, well-lit area with, preferably, a fair amount of natural light. Light, particularly sunlight, makes us more alert.
- Tune up your body. Trading is a sedentary occupation. Bodies at rest are easily fatigued. Jump-start your metabolism with an energizing walk or run early in the morning. During the day, relieve fatigue and stimulate your muscles with stretching or isometric exercises. Squeezing a small rubber ball helps some traders stay alert and focused.
- Fuel your body. Don’t start your day with sugary foods. At first your blood sugar will spike and you’ll feel alert. But as your blood sugar drops during the day, you’ll feel increasingly fatigued and your performance will suffer. Some traders snack on energy bars mid-morning and afternoon to keep their bodies fueled. Make sure you check ingredients and avoid bars with high sugar contents. Sugary snacks will send you quickly careening from high alertness to dragging fatigue. Protein and complex carbohydrates will help you achieve and maintain alertness and concentration. However, beware of naturally sleep-inducing foods such as turkey, milk, bananas, fish and egg whites. Foods that can perk you up include coffee, tea, chocolate, soft drinks, and herbal teas. Be cautious about using caffeine to maintain alertness. It can send you on the same peak and valley ride as sugar, with increased caffeine needed to achieve the same level of alertness each time the previous dose wears off.
- Control your environment. Dry, cool air will help keep you alert and focused, as will bright light, particularly natural light. The smell of peppermint increases alertness. A spritz of mint in the air a couple of times between noon and 1 p.m. can help get you through the lunchtime doldrums. Dull, repetitive sounds like a computer or fluorescent light humming can be sleep-inducing. Sharp, irregular sounds like loud conversation or a radio can be distracting. A set of soft earplugs from your local drugstore can solve both problems, improving concentration.
- Recharge your batteries. Adequate sleep improves both performance and alertness. For your body to operate at peak efficiency, you must get enough sleep to enter the REM (rapid eye movement) cycle which promotes learning, creativity and imagination. This is also the most restful of the four sleep cycles and necessary to fully recharge your body’s battery.
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