When I first got into forex trading, my “routine” looked something like this:
Wake up, scroll through random charts, watch three different YouTube strategy videos, jump into a trade, panic, close early, regret it — then repeat.
Not exactly a recipe for success.
After a few chaotic weeks and more demo account blowups than I care to admit, I realized I needed structure. I wanted to start treating trading like a serious skill, not a guessing game. That’s when I started building a real routine.
In this post, I’ll share my daily routine as a beginner forex trader, what’s worked for me (and what didn’t), and how you can create a realistic, repeatable plan — even if you have a day job or other commitments.
Why a Daily Routine Matters in Forex
Before I jump into the actual steps, here’s why having a routine is a game-changer:
- It helps you stay consistent, which is crucial for learning and improving.
- It reduces emotional decision-making, since you follow a plan instead of reacting on impulse.
- It builds discipline — and in trading, discipline is more important than any fancy indicator.
- Even as a beginner, you can benefit from setting up a clear, daily rhythm. It doesn’t have to be complicated — just intentional.
My Morning Forex Routine
7:00 AM – Wake Up and Light Review
I like to start my day slow. I make coffee, check in with myself, and review how I felt about yesterday’s trades (if I took any).
Did I follow my plan?
Did I exit too early or hold too long?
Was it a good trade, even if it didn’t win?
Journaling just one or two sentences about these helps clear my mind and keeps me emotionally grounded.
7:30 AM – Check the Economic Calendar
I always check the economic calendar (I use Forex Factory) to see what major news is coming up. I’m not an advanced news trader, so I avoid trading during big events like:
- FOMC meetings
- Non-farm payrolls
- Interest rate decisions
- As a beginner, I learned the hard way that jumping into the market right before a news release is like stepping into a hurricane with an umbrella.
7:45 AM – Mark Key Levels on My Charts
Next, I open TradingView and review my pairs — usually just 2 or 3, like EUR/USD and GBP/USD. I don’t look at every currency in the world — it just gets overwhelming.
I start on the 4-hour or daily timeframe and mark:
- Support and resistance
- Trend direction
- Key zones where price might react
- This helps me see the bigger picture before diving into lower timeframes.
My Pre-Trading Routine
8:00 AM – Create My Trade Plan
Here’s where things started clicking for me: I stopped trading randomly and started writing down exactly what I was looking for each day.
My trade plan includes:
- The pairs I’m watching
- The bias (bullish, bearish, or neutral)
- What I want to see before I enter a trade (like a pullback, breakout, or candle pattern)
- Where I’ll put my stop loss and take profit if a setup appears
- It only takes 10–15 minutes, but it keeps me focused and prevents me from jumping into impulsive trades.
8:15 AM – Quick Mental Reset
I know this sounds a little “zen,” but honestly — a few minutes of silence or deep breathing has helped me more than any indicator.
Just sitting quietly and reminding myself:
- “Don’t chase.”
- “It’s okay to wait.”
- “Stick to your plan.”
- This simple mental reset has saved me from entering dumb trades out of boredom more times than I can count.
My Active Trading Window
8:30 AM – 11:00 AM – Watch for Setups
This is when I actively watch the markets — but I’m not staring at the screen like a hawk. I’ve already done the hard work by planning, so now I’m just waiting to see if price comes to me.
If it does and my setup criteria are met, I enter the trade and set my:
- Entry
- Stop loss
- Take profit
- Then I step away. No hovering. No tweaking my stop every 5 minutes. I trust the setup and let it play out.
If No Trade Happens?
If no good trade comes, that’s okay. One of the hardest things to accept as a beginner is that doing nothing is sometimes the best move.
No trade > bad trade.
So if by 11:00 AM I haven’t found anything solid, I close the charts and move on with my day.
Midday Break + Review
12:00 PM – Lunch and Review
During lunch, I’ll take 10 minutes to review any trades I took in the morning:
- Did I follow my entry rules?
- Did I manage it properly?
- What did I do well? What could I do better?
I log this into my trading journal, which is just a simple Google Sheet with:
- Pair
- Date
- Entry & exit price
- Stop loss & take profit
- Screenshots
- Notes
- Over time, these notes have helped me improve faster than anything else.
Afternoon: Light Study Time
2:00 PM – 30 Minutes of Learning
In the afternoons, I like to squeeze in some learning. That might mean:
- Watching a YouTube video on price action
- Reading a blog post or forum thread
- Reviewing old trades
- Practicing on TradingView with replay mode
- The key here is just one thing per day. I used to binge-watch trading content, but that just confused me more. Now, I focus on one topic and go deep.
Evening Wind-Down
7:00 PM – End-of-Day Check-In
Before bed, I’ll check in with the market one last time, but I don’t place any trades. I’m just seeing how things played out during the NY session.
I’ll also review:
- My emotional state during the day
- Whether I stuck to my plan
- Wins and losses (but without judging myself)
- Then I shut it all down. No obsessing, no overanalyzing. The market will be there tomorrow.
What I Learned From Having a Routine
Having a routine made me:
- More focused
- Less emotional
- Way more consistent
- Better at managing risk
- Less likely to chase trades or second-guess myself
- Is my routine perfect? Nope. Some days I oversleep, miss a setup, or get distracted. But having a plan gives me structure — and structure gives me results.
Tips for Building Your Own Beginner Forex Routine
If you’re wondering how to build your own daily routine as a forex trader beginner, here are a few quick suggestions:
Keep It Simple
Don’t try to watch 10 pairs or use 5 strategies. Start small and master the basics.
Focus on Consistency
It’s better to spend 30 focused minutes every day than to cram 5 hours once a week.
Use a Checklist
Having a pre-trade checklist helps you stay objective and avoid emotional mistakes.
Review, Reflect, Adjust
Trading is a feedback game. Keep a journal, learn from your mistakes, and tweak your process over time.
Final Thoughts: Your Routine Is Your Edge
- The market is unpredictable — but your routine is where you get control.
- So whether you have 2 hours a day or 8, having a solid daily rhythm will help you grow faster, trade smarter, and avoid the emotional rollercoaster that wrecks so many beginners.
- Start small. Stay consistent. And remember — it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Next Article To Read: How I Finally Learned Discipline in Forex Trading