It's easier to time the market when you hand pick your stocks after some research and some experience with the markets and use a strategy such as for short term: buy low on 10% dips, wait patiently, and sell high on 10% increases. Or long term- buy when the market has crashed and the government is bailing out companies with tax dollars they took during from the taxpayers, sell when records have been broken and government wants to take some more money from the tax payers.
It's even easier if you learn to keep emotions out of your strategy (The Art of War, -Sun Tzo) and when you are not stressed out about needing the money in any way.
For example, owning high quality dividend growth stocks that continually payout dividends like nothing is a surprise during the 2008-09 market crash or even World Wars and other great depressions. Your principal drops in your accounts to the tune of the swings, sure; however, you drool over the opportunity and buy buy buy when everything is on 50%-85% discounts like a kid in a Candy Store, yet it's not only candy, but candy filled with golden tickets to own Corporations.
You buy everything high quality in sight. Apple, Disney, Exxon Mobile, Johnson & Johnson, Wells Fargo, etc. etc.