One of the beauties of securities trading is that you can do it practically anywhere, these days. With mobile devices, mobile internet and the right apps, you can be wherever you need to be without worrying that you will miss out on a crucial bit of news or a great trade opportunity. Of course, most independent securities traders do their trading from home most of the time, and while smartphones and tablets do make trading on the go possible, there is a lot to be said for having a great set up in your home office that puts everything you need at your fingertips. Here we take a look at the must haves for your home trading desk:

Peace, Quiet and Comfort

Keeping up to speed on the markets and planning your trades can take a lot of concentration, so having an environment to trade in that is comfortable and free from distractions is essential. While this is true of any home office, for trading it can be even more essential as you often have to be able to think and work fast to make the trades you want happen. Having a room set up as a private study where nobody is allowed to bother you unless it is business related can be a good idea, because trying to trade on the dining room table from your laptop while the kids run riot is usually not ideal!

Once you have the space decided on, comfort is the next thing to consider. When it comes to commercial offices there are plenty of regulations about what is comfortable and indeed safe for employees to have to work on for prolonged periods, but a lot of people overlook these when setting up work areas at home. This can be bad for your health and make trading more tiring and stressful than it should be. Design a home office with ergonomic furniture and everything set up correctly for your height and size, and you will be able to feel energised and focus better, as well as avoid posture issues and back pain.

The IT Infrastructure to Help You Work at Your Best

There is plenty of specialist software available for general office use, and specifically for trading. While some packages can be expensive, you can sometimes get cheaper licenses by looking for introductory deals, or trialling new products. As with anything trading related, you have to consider the offset of the money you spend on being ready to trade against the profit you stand to make, so it pays to look for bargains on the hardware and software you need even if money isn’t really a problem. Hardware wise, it can be a good idea (if you use a laptop) to dock it with a proper keyboard and monitor when you are at home, again, to avoid strain or discomfort over time. Some traders prefer a two monitor set up, as then they can watch their usual trading platform while also looking at news sources or doing other work.

With a comfortable office and a well equipped IT set up, you are ready to take on the world of securities trading head on!