The ten-minute weekly trading review
A weekly review should produce one decision, not a report. This is the routine that fits between the close on Friday and the open on Sunday.
Most traders review their results, not their decisions. The difference is the point of a weekly review: the result is already fixed, but the decision can still change next week.
The routine below takes about ten minutes. It works best at the same time each week, after the last session and before the next one.
Step 1: read the week’s numbers
Open the analytics view and note four things: net result, win rate, profit factor, and maximum drawdown. Do not judge them yet. Just write them down. If the trade count is very low, note that too; a 12-trade week is not enough to conclude much.
Step 2: find where the result came from
Sort by instrument and by session. Look for the largest positive and negative contributors. The question is not “which pair is best” but “where did I follow the process, and where did I not?”
- Was the loss concentrated in one session, or spread across the week?
- Did the size stay consistent, or increase after a loss?
- Were the losing trades taken on the same setup that usually works?
Step 3: read three entries
Pick the three trades you remember least and read their journal notes. The ones you remember are already part of your story. The ones you forgot are where the unexamined habits live.
Step 4: answer four questions
- What did I do well, regardless of the result?
- What did I repeat that I said I would stop?
- What was the emotion before the worst decision?
- What is the one change for next week?
Write the fourth answer somewhere visible before the next session. One change is enough. A list of ten is a wish, not a plan.
A simple template
| Section | What to write |
|---|---|
| Numbers | Net result, win rate, profit factor, max drawdown, trade count |
| Where | Best and worst instrument and session |
| Decision of the week | One trade you would take again exactly the same way |
| Lesson | One sentence you want to read before Monday |
| Change | One specific adjustment for next week |
If you keep the review in the same place as the trades, the next review is easier. Action Journal's journal and analytics are built for this loop: the trades are already there, the metrics are calculated, and the notes sit beside the numbers.
Trading involves risk. A review can improve your process, but it cannot guarantee a result.