Flow state and the distortion of time
Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2026 7:18 pm
In an intense session, hours can pass unnoticed. The focus is absorbing, and the trader feels in command. This flow state is pleasant and can be productive, but it carries risks.
Time distortion means the planned break or session end is missed. Fatigue accumulates without notice, and performance slips while the feeling of competence stays high. Hydration, meals, and posture are neglected.
Awareness fades also for risk limits, as attention narrows to the immediate task. A trader in flow may miss the accumulating drawdown or the changing market conditions.
External cues counteract the effect. Timers, scheduled alarms, and automatic break reminders interrupt the state at set intervals. A hard session end time enforced by an alarm or software closes the day.
Reviewing the log by hour of the session often shows that the later hours, when flow felt strongest, produce worse results.
Feeling good is not evidence of trading well.
Do the trades in the later part of long sessions look worse than the early ones?
Time distortion means the planned break or session end is missed. Fatigue accumulates without notice, and performance slips while the feeling of competence stays high. Hydration, meals, and posture are neglected.
Awareness fades also for risk limits, as attention narrows to the immediate task. A trader in flow may miss the accumulating drawdown or the changing market conditions.
External cues counteract the effect. Timers, scheduled alarms, and automatic break reminders interrupt the state at set intervals. A hard session end time enforced by an alarm or software closes the day.
Reviewing the log by hour of the session often shows that the later hours, when flow felt strongest, produce worse results.
Feeling good is not evidence of trading well.
Do the trades in the later part of long sessions look worse than the early ones?