Since volatility picked up in early March, I’ve found that shorter-term trades have really started to shine.
Take a look at this snapshot of my recent trades in All Star Options:
With only a couple of exceptions, nearly every trade I’ve put on lately has had no more than two months until expiration—and the majority are even shorter than that.
Why?
Because when the market starts acting like it’s had too much coffee and not enough sleep, long-dated trades become harder to trust. Shorter-duration setups, on the other hand, let me be nimble. I can lean into fast-moving setups, take my profits (or manage risk quickly), and move on.
And it’s working.
These quicker-turn trades have noticeably increased my win rate and put some much-needed green back into the account—right when the broader market has been having a bit of a meltdown.
A few things to note in the above screenshot:
The green rows are completed trades that hit profit targets or closed with gains.
The red ones, obviously, are stop-outs for losses.
The white rows are still open positions—but most are showing signs of progress.
Here’s the key takeaway:
Options give us options.
I say it all the time, and I’ll keep saying it. The flexibility to shift between strategies, trade durations, and risk profiles is exactly what allows options traders to adapt—especially in a volatile tape like this.
Adding in a healthy mix of credit spreads and being willing to trade tighter timeframes has helped me stay alive, stay liquid, and stay confident. I’m not trying to predict what the market will do next quarter. I’m trying to make smart decisions for today, this week, and maybe the next couple of weeks if the setup’s right.
In wild markets, survival is success. And right now, short-term options trading is giving me the edge I need to keep showing up.
If you’re not already thinking about duration when you put trades on, now might be a great time to start.
