Have you ever heard that a change is as good as a rest? Have you noticed that you can get more done after having an extra day off, i.e. a vacation or holiday?
There was a study done with some men that were unloading heavy objects from railroad cars. The first group would unload one item then go right back and start on another item. In an 8 hour shift each man could unload 12 items. The other group would unload an item then sit down and take a 15-minute break before starting on the next item. The second group was able to unload 20 items in an 8-hour shift. The only difference was the 15-minute break. The conclusion was that you get more done when rested.
Another example of being fresh when studying: There is a course called “Where There’s a Will There’s an ‘A’â€. The studies show that a student has a peak concentration for 15-minutes after a break then moderate concentration for the next 30-minutes with peak concentration for the 15-minutes just prior to the next break, given a 1 hour block of time to study. It was found that to study for 15 minutes then take a break for 10 minutes then study for another 15-minutes with another break the students had a higher retention rate. When they were studying they were always at their peak.
One of the most profitable insights in trading is to realize that continuous good trading is much more a process of “letting go†of ideas that don’t work than one of doing more work. When I try to trade more to make up for a poor trade, the worse I do.  I always trade better when I have had some time away from the market. Even a few hours away from the charts helps me to see more clearly. The harder I try the less I seem to see. The more I let go and trade with what I see when I come back from a break the better I do. Another thing I see when I come back from a break are all the stupid trading errors I made. By using the trade tracker to record my feelings and reasons for making trades, the more I learn.
In conclusion, do not over trade by spending too much time in front of the charts, get plenty of rest, and learn from your trading errors. When you learn to trade with your feelings along with the technical knowledge you have acquired you are on the way to being a better trader and having more fun while trading.