Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Daily Routine

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky wrote Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and the 1812 Overture, and was the first Russian composer to make a lasting mark abroad. His day turned on a 2-hour walk he would not cut short by even 5 minutes.

Mason Currey's Daily Rituals, drawing on his brother Modest, has him up at 8:00 AM for tea, a cigarette and the Bible or Spinoza, then a short walk. After letters, he composed at the piano from 10:00 AM until lunch at noon. At 1:00 PM he set out on the long walk, jotting down ideas, as Currey tells it in Slate. Tea and newspapers followed, then composing from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM and, from 8:00 PM, dinner, guests, cards and duets until midnight.

Adopt it if you think best while moving and want a creative day with a firm shape. You get 4 hours of composing in 2 sittings, 2.5 hours of walking and an evening among friends. The midnight bedtime, the 30-minute morning walk and a day that repeats all week are our estimates.