How I Start My Day as a Full-Time Trader | Weekly Routine

📈 Sunday Routine for Swing Traders & Day Traders: Prepare Like a Pro

If you're serious about trading, Sunday isn't a day off — it's your secret weapon.

While most traders wait for Monday morning to "figure things out," the most prepared ones are already steps ahead. Whether you're a swing trader holding multi-day positions or a day trader looking for Monday morning momentum, Sunday is the day to plan, prepare, and sharpen your edge.

Here’s exactly how I spend my Sunday to set up a profitable trading week.

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🔍 1. Market Recap: What Happened Last Week?

Before looking ahead, I look back:

• Major market events (Fed decisions, CPI, earnings)

• Sector performance ($XLK, $XLF, $XLE, etc.)

• Big movers and why they moved

This gives me context — and context is everything. I’m not just reacting to charts; I’m understanding the why behind the move.

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📊 2. Broader Market Analysis (SPY, QQQ, IWM)

Next, I dive into the indexes:

• Is $SPY bullish, bearish, or choppy?

• Are we near key support or resistance?

• Any major gaps or volume levels?

This tells me what kind of market we’re in: trend-friendly or chop-heavy — and I adjust my position size and setups accordingly.

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🛠️ 3. Building My Swing Trading Watchlist

Swing trading is all about planning a few high-probability setups. I scan for:

• Bull flags, cup & handles, breakouts

• Oversold bounce setups

• Earnings continuation plays

I use scanners like:

• Finviz (free)

• TradingView screener

• Benzinga Pro

I add 5–10 quality tickers to my watchlist and label them:

• A+ (ideal setups)

• B (secondary plays)

• Earnings volatility (with tight risk)

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⚡ 4. Day Trading Prep: Monday Movers & Gappers

Sunday night is prime time for pre-market gappers and catalysts.

What I do:

• Check earnings calendars for Monday morning

• Look for biotech/news runners

• Scan Twitter/X, MarketWatch, or TradingView’s top gainers

These can turn into early momentum plays or offer gap-fill trades on Monday.

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✍️ 5. Set Alerts, Mark Key Levels, Do the Homework

This is where most traders get lazy — and that’s why they fail.

On Sunday, I:

• Set price alerts on key breakouts or breakdowns

• Draw support/resistance lines

• Journal what I’m looking for (not just the ticker, but the trigger)

If I can’t explain why I’m watching a stock, I take it off the list.

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🧠 6. Mental Reset & Goals

Trading isn’t just technical — it’s emotional. On Sunday, I:

• Review last week’s mistakes and wins

• Set intentions (e.g., "Only take A+ setups")

• Write down weekly goals: profit targets, max loss, max trades per day

Consistency starts with mindset — not market noise.

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🧰 Tools I Use Every Sunday:

• TradingView – charting and alerts

• Finviz – scanning setups

• Thinkorswim/Moomoo – platform review

• Benzinga Pro – news and movers

• Notion or Google Docs – journaling and watchlist

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📌 Final Thoughts

Your edge doesn’t come from a secret indicator — it comes from being more prepared than everyone else. Sundays aren’t about overloading yourself; they’re about being sharp, strategic, and intentional.

If you take trading seriously, treat Sunday like your most important day.