We’re supposed to suppress our emotions when we’re trading stocks. The wins and the losses are supposed to be inconsequential and we’re supposed to go about our day the way we normally would whether we’re in the green or in the red. Like most money-related topics though, that’s easier said than done. And undoubtedly when we’re trading, the question of whether to trade stocks on vacation comes up.
Even though we’re supposed to be as unemotional as possible, we’re all human. We enjoy the wins, but do our best to remain humble. We get pissed off, frustrated and exasperated when we’re on a losing streak. That’s just part of being a trader and a human. So it’s not surprising when we want to trade stocks on vacation. Trust me, nothing feels better than sipping an espresso in Venice or a rum-and-something in Maui when we bang out of a stock for a big gain.
On vacation and hitting winning trades? Can’t get much better than that. But…
Trade Stocks on Vacation?
Here’s why I don’t like to trade stocks on vacation, which is not necessarily in order:
- It sucks to lose. Instead of losing in the office or at home, losing on vacation sucks even more. There’s no other way to frame it, really: It sucks to be on vacation and have a few losers in a row. The trip already costs enough.
- Time with family or friends is more important. The most import thing in life — believe it or not — is not trading. Our time with friends and family or even self-reflection is more important in this case. Put the computer/iPad/Interactive Brokers app down and enjoy the rum-and-something or hit the ski run one more time.
- We should be relaxing and exploring, not staring at a screen in some beautiful foreign land. Go for an extra hike, sleep in a little later, turn off the GPS (depending on where you are!) and get lost in a delightful part of town. Traders need downtime to “reset” too and doing it on vacation is a great place to start.