Finding a balance with journaling - too much vs. too little?

Question

Been trading actively for about a year now, mostly dabbling in options and some small-cap equities. I've tried to be diligent with journaling my trades, entering setup, entry/exit, and outcome. But sometimes I find myself writing so much detail it feels like it takes away from screen time, or I get bogged down in the analysis paralysis of *how* to journal, rather than *why*. Other times I'm just jotting down a quick note and wonder if I'm missing valuable insights. For those of you who have been doing this for a while, how do you strike that balance between sufficient detail for learning and keeping it efficient? Is there a particular framework or set of questions you stick to?

minjun.chen · Accepted Answer

Ah, the classic journaling dilemma. It's like Goldilocks and the three trading journals: one's too detailed, one's too sparse, and you're just hoping to find the one that's just right before the market closes.

zofia45 · Answer

I've definitely felt that tension between detailed journaling and actual screen time. Maybe try a more abbreviated approach for daily trades and only delve deeper into the ones that either went exceptionally well or particularly poorly, where there's a clear lesson to be learned?

lukanagy · Answer

Your journaling should be a tool, not a burden. If it's taking too much time, you're doing it wrong. Focus on the key takeaways: what worked, what didn't, and why. Skip the fluff.

beatrizsilva · Answer

Your journaling should be actionable. If it's taking away from screen time or causing analysis paralysis, it's not serving its purpose. Keep it concise, focus on what you need to review, and don't overcomplicate it.

Finding a balance with journaling - too much vs. too little?

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