What's your preparation?

I wake my lazy carcass up. The dear wife jumps up to take her morning medicines to keep her up and about. She puts on the coffee. As it is making I drift in an out. She hollers “you ready for coffee? “ If I am I will mutter “yes.” If not, I may not even answer. Any rate sooner or later I usually do get a cup usually brought to me by my sweet wife (although at night it is me that has to pop popcorn while she rests and watches her TV shows).

So, I take a few swings of coffee maybe wash my face to awaken my drooping eyes lids.

I fire up the laptop and log onto my platform. If it was not left on from yesterday. I first like to look at the 24 hour chart mostly 5 min but may take a glance a 15m and 30m charts to see what phase the market cycle is in in each of the time frames. Maybe draw a few lines highlighting the market phase. Take note of volatility (just a visual glance).

Then I look at the RTH 5m chart if the market is already open. I look at the phase the market cycle is in on that chart and draw a few lines.

Depending on what the market cycle is in I then decide how (tactics …techniques) I will trade and start looking for signal bars and entry bars. Then place trades between swallows of coffee.

I don’t read the news. I don’t do fundamental analysis. I don’t operate on tips or opinions of others. I just trade PA as it unfolds. I usually do no overnight analysis or pre-market other that what I mentioned above on the 24 hr chart.
 
I review the stockcharts the night before on those stocks I have positions on. It gives me an idea how my trades are going along. Next morning at market open, I continue to monitor my positions. Trends could suddenly change so, if it does and my stop losses gets hit on my stock options, I exit my positions and take the loss. For those positions that continue to trend my way. I leave alone. Each night, the cycle starts and I review the stockcharts on those I have positions on.
 
Each morning I scan the market( news, upgrades, earnings, ect..). I also look at stocks that are at very important resistance levels that are showing strength and are on the verge of a breakout. I usually look at 2-5 stocks and laser focus on them and wind up choosing only 1 or 2. I also look at daily charts at about 1:30-2:00 in the afternoon to see the chart action on some stocks and make another quick list. I look for double bottoms a lot at this time of the day.
 
I've found it's helpful to look at and follow premarket SPY, daily gappers and favorite charts much earlier than I used to, starting as early as 7amET.

By following premkt price action earlier I get a much better sense of volatility, ranges, chop vs long/short strength etc
 
My wakeup time, anywhere from 1am to 5am, I review US markets to get an idea on sentiment.
The earlier I wake up is an indication on my level of interest, sometimes really anticipating something happening, other times bored and not interested in trading that day.
I review the US mkt via one of my algos created a couple of years back called 'USA markets, which contains about 750 rows of data'.
That's enough info to tell me what to expect for my day ahead, I don't hardly ever look at charts because the data gives a better picture overall and its quicker.

I don't need to turn my computers on till after the ASX mkt has opened 30 minutes as I prefer to allow it to settle down, unless that is I'm keen to place a trade right on open which is not that common.
 
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