How I improved my trading and processes: routines, journals, and weekly reviews
What I discovered when my processes were chaotic
When I started out, I traded without a clear routine, without reviewing my trades, and without keeping a journal. Every day was different, every session an improvisation. I ended up exhausted, with repeated losses, frustrated because I didn't understand what was going wrong.
One day I stopped and thought, “If the markets are unpredictable, I need something that depends on me to have a direction.” That's what led me to build a structure: a daily routine, a trading journal, a weekly review. Since then, my trading has stopped feeling like luck and has become more consistent.
Step 1: Establish a daily trading routine
Pre-market preparation
Every morning I review the markets before trading: I identify the assets I'm going to watch, review news or events that may affect them, mark key levels (support/resistance), and visualize possible scenarios. This preparation ensures that I don't enter the market reactively
Trading blocks and scheduled breaks
I have learned that working non-stop is a trap. I trade in defined windows, with blocks of concentration (e.g., 1 or 2 hours) followed by breaks. During those breaks, I disconnect, walk, breathe. It helps me reset my mind, avoid impulsive decisions, and stay focused.
Immediate post-trade
At the end of each trade, I not only close the position, but I also mentally close what happened: what I did right, what I did wrong, how I felt. I write that down in my journal. If there was a rule I broke, I analyze why it was difficult to follow.
Step 2: Keep a trading journal that really works for me
What I record in my journal
I work with a format where I record:
date/time of opening and closing
strategy used/setup
entry and exit (prices)
position size and stop-loss size
entry motivation and expectations
Result (profit or loss)
Emotional state before, during, and after (confidence, doubt, anxiety, etc.)
Lesson learned
That journal isn't just for looking at numbers: it helps me see mental patterns.
Honesty in every entry
Being honest with myself was key. Many times I tried to justify bad trades or ignored how my mind was working. I started writing with humility: “I felt impatient,” “I didn't wait to confirm something,” “I entered because of FOMO.” Those small confessions are what helped me improve the most.
Step 3: Weekly review: patterns, strengths, and adjustments
What I review each week
At the end of each week, I take an hour to review my trades: how many I won, how many I lost, whether I followed my rules, whether my performance varied depending on the time of day, whether certain strategies worked better than others. I also review how I felt those days and if there were moments of emotional weakness that affected trades.
Learn lessons and adjust
I pick three things I did well to reinforce them, and three mistakes that were repeated to correct them. Then I adjust my rules: for example, reducing my number of trades when I am tired, limiting trading after several losses, changing the strategy if a setup is no longer working.
Step 4: How these practices changed my trading
From impulsiveness to consistency
By having a routine, writing down each trade, and reviewing weekly, I stopped trading on impulse. Now I know when not to trade, when to wait, and when to withdraw when my mind is not clear.
Better decision making
I built filters to decide whether to enter: if my motivation is right, if my analysis is clear, if the conditions support it. That reduces errors in judgment. I also see more easily which strategies really work for me.
Evolution of results
My sessions no longer feel like a roller coaster. Fewer terrible days in a row, more disciplined sessions where I feel confident even if the market isn't perfect. Setbacks continue, but now I can handle them better and recover faster.
Conclusion
What transformed my trading wasn't inventing complex strategies, but improving my processes: daily routine, honest journaling, and weekly review. That gave me discipline, mental clarity, and consistency.
Start today: design your routine tomorrow, write in your journal at the end of your next session, and set aside time at the end of the week to review your trades. It's small, it's simple, but it has the power to change everything.
