4 Steps To Crush Your Monday Morning

Monday’s biggest moves happen while 90% of traders are still rubbing their eyes.

By 10:00 a.m ET, the week’s best opportunities are already flying past the folks who show up unprepared.

Simple solution: Don’t wing it on Monday.

While others are still brewing their morning espresso, scrambling to catch up on whatever crazy thing Trump said over the weekend, you should already know exactly what you’re watching (and why).

Your targets should be pre-set like a financial drone strike.

All you need is a simple Monday morning routine that puts you ahead of the vast majority of Robinhood degenerates flying by the seat of their pants.

Just a few minutes of Monday prep can be the difference between catching a month-defining win and enviously watching it from the sidelines.

These 4 steps can transform your whole week…

Step 1: Check the Week’s Schedule (Before You Even Log In)

First step on Monday, check for:

Big Events: Earnings reports, Federal Reserve announcements, or economic data (like jobs numbers or inflation updates). These can cause huge swings in prices.
Key Dates: Options expiration dates (if you’re trading weekly contracts) or holidays that might thin out trading activity.
Company News: Did a stock you’re trading drop a surprise update over the weekend? (Hint: Check headlines.)
Market Internals: Check SKEW, VIX, and major index levels. If the VIX is 20+, you should be trading differently than when it’s sub-15.

The market doesn’t exist in a vacuum. That’s why I start every webinar by looking at the big picture.

Open an economic calendar and skim the next 5 days. Highlight anything that could impact the stocks you’re trading.

Step 2: Review Your Open Trades

You wouldn’t drive a car without checking the gas gauge, right?

Same idea here…

Look at every open position and ask:

Is this trade still a good idea? Did the stock’s story change? Did volatility spike or drop? Did your thesis get invalidated by a broken level?
Are my stops/limits still in place? Double-check that your risk controls (like stop-loss orders) haven’t expired or been triggered. (Especially crucial for mental stops).
What’s my max risk this week? Add up how much you could lose if every trade hit your stop. If that number scares you, reduce your position size.

Pro tip: Write down your answers. Clarity now = fewer panic moves later.

Step 3: Set Your Game Plan (and Stick to It)

Options traders get in trouble when they trade reactively…

Decide in advance:

What’s your goal this week? Are you aiming for a specific dollar amount? A specific % gain? A specific set of rules, followed perfectly?
When will you walk away? Set a daily loss limit (e.g., “If I lose $500, I’m done for the day”).
What technical red line would prove your trades wrong?
What’s on your watchlist? Narrow down a weekly watchlist of 3-5 actionable setups.

Step 4: Get Mentally Prepared

Your mindset is more important than anything.

On Monday morning:

Check your stress level. If you’re Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired, stop trading. There’s an acronym for this: H.A.L.T.
Visualize the week. Picture yourself sticking to your plan, even if the market gets wild. Manifest your discipline.
Block time to focus. When you’re trading: Turn off your phone notifications, close those unnecessary tabs, and treat your trading like a business.

Before you place a single trade, run through this checklist.

These 4 steps shouldn’t take more than 20-30 minutes.

And by the time you’re done, you’ll have everything you need to crush your trading goals…

And speaking of crushing your trading goals…