The great thing about options trading is that you really don't have to be glued to your computer screen, watching and waiting for a put or call that you want to buy or sell to reach a recommended price level.

Given that life tends to usually get in the way at the most inopportune time, most traders in the industry agree that it's not always possible to catch that ideal entry price due to things like doctor's appointments and the occasional meeting.

So what should an avid options trader do?

Make Him Earn His Keep

Good news: Options markets offer a variety of order types that allow you to leave execution instructions with your broker to initiate a trade when one or more trading conditions are met.

The first one I want to look at is the market order. When you place a market order, you give your broker "carte blanche," meaning he'll fill the order at whatever the market price is once he gets the green light from you.

If you're like me and want a little more control over your portfolio while you're away (not to mention that options can trade much faster than stocks these days…), you might want to place a limit order.

Limit Orders

Limit orders allow the options trader more control over the order. They enable you to dictate that a particular order to be filled at your target price…or better.

However, here's the catch...