Some investors love following the share market minute-by-minute. Others… not so much.
If you'd rather not spend your days glued to stock charts but still want to grow your wealth, the good news is you can invest successfully without constant market-watching.
Here's how to take a low-maintenance approach to ASX investing while still keeping your portfolio on track.
Focus on quality, not quantity
One of the simplest ways to reduce the need for daily monitoring is to own shares in high-quality companies. Look for businesses with strong balance sheets, stable earnings, and sustainable competitive advantages.
For example, companies like CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL), Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), and ResMed Inc. (ASX: RMD) have long histories of growth and resilience. Owning quality ASX shares means you are less reliant on short-term market moves and more focused on long-term performance.
Diversification with ETFs
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) give you instant diversification across dozens — sometimes hundreds or thousands — of shares. This makes it easier to ride out market volatility without needing to keep track of every single holding.
Popular ASX ETFs like the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS) or iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV) cover entire markets, giving you broad exposure in just one trade. That means less stress, less research, and fewer decisions to make along the way.
Automate your investing
Setting up regular investments — sometimes called dollar-cost averaging — takes the emotion out of investing.
By automatically putting money into your portfolio every month, you'll buy more shares when prices are low and fewer when prices are high. This smooths out your long-term cost.
You can even automate dividend reinvestment plans (DRPs) so your income is put straight back to work, compounding your returns without lifting a finger.
Check in periodically, not daily
Instead of watching the market every day, schedule a review once or twice a year. Use this time to rebalance your portfolio if needed, top up your best ideas, and ensure your investments still align with your goals.
This periodic approach helps you focus on the big picture rather than short-term noise — and it is far less stressful.
Foolish takeaway
You don't need to be a full-time market watcher to be a successful investor.
By focusing on quality companies, using ETFs for diversification, automating your contributions, and checking in periodically, you can build wealth steadily over time — without the daily drama.
