Quantity over quality: ten ideas in each 10-minute round, for 3 rounds. Write the problem or prompt at the top of the page first. The first ten are always obvious. The good ones are in the last ten.

1. Generate ten ideas · 9 minutes
2. Star the best · 60 seconds

Repeats for 3 rounds

Stephen King's rule: second draft = first draft minus 10%. Four quick passes, about 45 minutes.

1. Set the target
2. Cut throat-clearing · 10 minutes
3. Cut qualifiers · 10 minutes
4. Cut repetition · 10 minutes
5. Tighten sentences · 10 minutes
6. Check the count

Hit the daily 1,667 words of National Novel Writing Month in three sprints, about 1½ hours. Aim for around 550 words per sprint.

1. Warm up · 5 minutes
2. Sprint 1 · 20 minutes
3. Check in
4. Break · 5 minutes
5. Sprint 2 · 20 minutes
6. Break · 5 minutes
7. Sprint 3 · 20 minutes
8. Wrap up

Four 15-minute sprints, each trying to beat the last, for 4 rounds. Open your draft and turn off spellcheck before the first sprint. Typos are tomorrow's problem.

1. Sprint · 15 minutes
2. Log your words
3. Rest · 3 minutes

Repeats for 4 rounds

A traditional hatha sequence based on the Sivananda basic postures, about 15 minutes. Skip shoulder stand and plough if you have neck problems or high blood pressure. Rest in corpse pose for a few breaths between poses.

1. Corpse pose · 60 seconds
2. Shoulder stand · 60 seconds
3. Plough · 45 seconds
4. Fish · 45 seconds
5. Seated forward bend · 60 seconds
6. Cobra · 30 seconds
7. Locust · 30 seconds
8. Bow · 30 seconds
9. Half spinal twist, right · 30 seconds
10. Half spinal twist, left · 30 seconds
11. Standing forward bend · 45 seconds
12. Triangle, right · 30 seconds
13. Triangle, left · 30 seconds
14. Final relaxation · 5 minutes

Hold four balancing poses on each side to build steadiness and focus. About 8 minutes. Fix your gaze on a single point that isn't moving. Wobbling is part of it.

1. Tree pose, right · 45 seconds
2. Tree pose, left · 45 seconds
3. Eagle pose, right · 30 seconds
4. Eagle pose, left · 30 seconds
5. Dancer pose, right · 30 seconds
6. Dancer pose, left · 30 seconds
7. Half moon, right · 30 seconds
8. Half moon, left · 30 seconds
9. Mountain pose · 60 seconds

Strong standing poses held long enough to burn, for 3 rounds. Keep your front knee stacked over your ankle in every lunge.

1. Chair pose · 45 seconds
2. Warrior II, right · 45 seconds
3. Reverse warrior, right · 15 seconds
4. Extended side angle, right · 30 seconds
5. Chaturanga push-ups · 30 seconds
6. Warrior II, left · 45 seconds
7. Reverse warrior, left · 15 seconds
8. Extended side angle, left · 30 seconds
9. Downward dog · 30 seconds

Repeats for 3 rounds

All the warriors in one strong sequence, for 2 rounds. Use a wall for balance in Warrior III if you need it.

1. Warrior I, right · 30 seconds
2. Warrior II, right · 30 seconds
3. Humble warrior, right · 30 seconds
4. Warrior III, right · 30 seconds
5. Warrior I, left · 30 seconds
6. Warrior II, left · 30 seconds
7. Humble warrior, left · 30 seconds
8. Warrior III, left · 30 seconds
9. Mountain pose · 30 seconds

Repeats for 2 rounds