“I don't have time to watch the video.”
“I don't have time to read the blog.”
Listen, I get it.
When it comes to trading, whether you're a beginner or advanced, there's a lot to ingest and process. Sometimes the amount of information available can actually keep you from moving forward.
Maybe you've signed up for a course and haven't started it yet. Maybe you've downloaded an e-book and never opened it. Maybe you've got a list of videos saved that you're going to watch “when you have time.”
I've been there too.
So today I want to share a couple of personal hacks that help me take in more information without feeling exhausted by it.
Use Your “Free Ear” Time
One thing I've become much more intentional about lately is making use of what I call my free ear time. If you really think about your day, those pockets exist.
They might show up when you're washing dishes, folding laundry, sweeping the floor, or doing some seasonal organizing around the house. Activities that require your hands and your eyes, but don't require a great deal of active mental attention once you get going.
Your ears, however, are often available.
Those little pockets of time can become opportunities to learn.
For me, there are usually three categories I'm interested in: my trading and investing, my education business, and personal development.
So if I'm spending 20 or 30 minutes cleaning the kitchen, emptying the dishwasher, doing the dishes, or putting things away around the house, I don't just do it “naked”, if you will. I put on my headphones and find something useful to listen to.
Sometimes it's a YouTube video, a podcast or something educational I've been meaning to get around to.
YouTube is actually a great place for this. Once you find a few people whose content you enjoy, there's an endless amount of material available. And if you're doing chores for twenty minutes, that might be two ten-minute videos or half of a podcast episode.
Here's our YouTube channel if you want to keep it handy: https://www.youtube.com/@himareddycmt
Let Go of The Need for Completion
One thing that makes this easier is being willing to let go of the need for total completion.
Sometimes I'll finish my chores and there will be three minutes left in a video I was listening to. I don't force myself to sit there and finish it. I go back to whatever I need to do next and save those three minutes for later.
A lot of people treat educational content like an assignment that has to be completed from start to finish in one sitting. I don't think that's always the case.
Learning can happen in small chunks throughout the day.
The goal isn't to finish everything. The goal is to keep moving forward and continue exposing yourself to useful ideas.
And before you tell me you don't have AirPods cuz they’re too pricey, let me stop you right there.
You don't need anything fancy. I use a pair of headphones I bought on Amazon in July 2023 for around twenty bucks and they still work perfectly fine today.
If you're curious, here’s the exact name from Amazon (though they’re not currently available there): TOZO – Upgraded Mini Wireless Earbuds, Bluetooth 5.3, Origx Acoustic, 2 Noise Reduction Mics, 22H, IPX4 – White
They've lasted far longer than I expected, and they've worked perfectly well for listening to videos, podcasts, courses, and other educational content around the house.
The habit matters a lot more than the equipment.
Revisit What You Already Own
Now, if YouTube isn't really your thing and you don't want to spend time searching for content, another option is simply revisiting resources you already have.
Look through your email inbox. Think about the free reports, courses, videos, and training programs you've collected over the years. Chances are there's a lot of valuable material already sitting there waiting for another look.
Most courses include video content, which means they also include audio.
For example, all of my courses are available through the Xperiencify app. I can pull up a lesson and simply listen to it while I'm doing something else.
Now, because I teach trading, you might think you need to watch every chart on the screen. Sometimes that's true. But there are also plenty of situations where simply listening again can be helpful.
In fact, this is how I prepare for many of our tune-ups and bonus sessions.
I'll open the app, listen through the material, refresh my memory on the terminology and concepts, and make sure everything is fresh in my mind before I teach.
Sometimes the best use of your time is revisiting something you've already learned.
Turn Reading Into Listening
Now let's talk about resources that only exist in text form.
I get it, because even I provide some things that are currently only available in written form. E-books are a good example.
And there are different types of learners out there. If you're reading this, there's a decent chance that listening helps you absorb information just as well as reading does.
A tool I've been using lately is called Speechify. It isn't free, although I believe it does offer a free trial. What it allows you to do is upload PDFs, articles, and other documents and have them read aloud using an AI voice.
I've been using it to listen to trading-related PDFs and research reports that I didn't write myself.
After spending so much time looking at charts and computer screens, sometimes my eyes just need a break. I'll be organizing papers in my office or straightening things up while listening to a report that otherwise might have sat unread on my computer.
Your free ear time can work for written content too.
It's a great way to take something that normally requires reading and turn it into something you can listen to while you're doing other routine tasks.
A Few Ground Rules
Now let's put a couple of guardrails around this idea.
If you're at the beach with your kids, enjoy the beach. Be present and enjoy the time with family or friends. Those moments matter.
And if you're driving, be careful! Personally, I don't love listening to anything that completely pulls me into the content while I'm behind the wheel. I'm honestly not a big fan of audiobooks while driving because they can be so engaging.I tend to prefer music or lighter podcasts in those situations, but you can make your own decisions there. I'm simply putting out my warning.
I also make a point every day to spend a few minutes outside without my phone.
Sometimes it's only five minutes. I'll go for a short nature walk, listen to the world around me, feel the sun on my face, and pay attention to what's happening around me.
We're not trying to fill every second of silence.
We're simply looking for opportunities where we're already doing something routine and can make a little more use of that time.
For me, that's laundry. It's cleaning the kitchen. It's organizing things around the house. Those are all moments where my hands are busy, but my ears are free.
And especially during the summer, there are a lot of opportunities to do this.
Whether you're learning something for your trading, your business, your career, or your personal life, those small pockets add up over time.
I'd love to hear where you already do this in your own life—or where you're going to give it a try!
🚨 PS — Weekly Trading Show TOMORROW 🚨
Be sure to join me at Ticker Request Live for our 21st broadcast on Tue Jun 2 at 4:30 PM ET!
👉 You can register here to join me in the Zoom room: himareddy.com/tickerrequestlive
📺Or catch the livestream here: https://www.youtube.com/@himareddycmt/streams
Check out ALL of our events at himareddy.com/events!
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