5 Biggest Trading Time Wasters

by | Dec 20, 2024

Get Rid of these Time Wasters in trading

When it comes to trading, your time is just as valuable as your capital.

Every second you waste is an opportunity missed, a lesson delayed, and a potential profit lost.

But the truth is this.

Many traders—yes, even you—get stuck in behaviors that bleed time and hold them back.

Let’s talk about the five biggest time wasters that are sabotaging your progress and how to kick them out of your trading life for good.

WASTER #1: Waiting for the “Right” Time

Here’s the cold, hard truth: the “perfect” time to trade doesn’t exist.

Are you holding back, waiting for the market to align with your ideal conditions?

Maybe you’re obsessing over timing every entry to the exact second.

Newsflash: trading is about probabilities, not perfection.

Whether you get in and the market is conducive or not, you are in it for the long haul.

Instead of waiting for the stars to align, focus on sticking to your trading plan.

Set rules for when to enter and exit, and follow them.

 The market doesn’t care about your doubts—so why should you?

WASTER #2:  Worrying About Others

How much time have you wasted comparing yourself to other traders?

It doesn’t matter how much you have in your portfolio.

R1,000 or R10,000,000. Whether you’re trading JSE Top 40 or Gold or Forex – that is all on you. 

You should ONLY care about your time line and your trading journey.

Let me remind you: their journey isn’t yours.

You don’t know their risk tolerance, their strategy, or their losses (because, let’s face it, no one posts about those).

Stay in your lane.

Focus on your strategy, your goals, and your growth.

The only trader you should compare yourself to is the one you were yesterday.

WASTER #3: Repeating Mistakes

Albert Einstein said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

Are you guilty of this?

Whether it’s revenge trading, over-leveraging, or ignoring your stop loss, repeating mistakes is a definite way to waste time and money.

Here’s what you need to do:

  • Keep a trading journal. Write down every trade—why you entered, why you exited, and what you learned. Also write down maybe your emotions and how you felt after taking the trade.

  • Review it regularly – Spot patterns in your behavior and correct them.

Mistakes are fine—repeating them isn’t.

WASTER #4: Only Trading with a Small Account

Let’s get real: you can’t build a skyscraper with a Lego set.

Trading with an account that’s too small can limit your growth.

It forces you to take tiny risks, which often leads to overtrading just to see some results.

Yes start off small. Learn the ins and outs. Pay your small school fees.

But when you master the art of trading – consider the ways you can actually make a sustainable and decent income.

Does this mean you need to throw all your savings into your trading account?

 Absolutely not.

But if you’re serious about trading as a career or side hustle, you need to think bigger.

Start saving, or find ways to grow your capital responsibly.

WASTER #5: Fear of Losing

What’s scarier: losing a trade or never taking one at all?

Fear of losing is paralyzing for many traders.

It keeps you from pulling the trigger on trades and can even push you to exit too early.

The truth is, losses are part of the game. No one wins 100% of the time—not even the pros.

The key is to manage your risk:

  • Never risk more than you’re willing to lose.

  • Use stop losses to protect your capital.

  • Accept that every trade is a learning opportunity, win or lose.

Don’t let fear control you. Trade smart, not scared.

Final words:

Now you have some ideas on how to stop wasting time when trading.

Lets sum up some key pointers…

  • Stop waiting for the “right” time—take action based on your trading plan.

  • Focus on yourself, not other traders.

  • Learn from your mistakes and avoid repeating them.

  • Think bigger—don’t limit yourself with a too-small account.

  • Manage your fear of losing by controlling risk and embracing losses as lessons.

Time is money in trading—make every moment count.

 

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Timon Rossolimos
Founder, MATI Trader

 

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Timon Rossolimos

Founder, MATI Trader

 

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