6. Always breathe.
In yoga, pranayama, or breath control, is essential. The breath is used in a variety of ways—to energize, to relax or to connect one pose to another. First, inhale, filling belly, rib cage and finally lungs, then exhale in the reverse order. Don't rush; keep both inhale and exhale even and equal in time. 

7. Get a leg up. Because leg strength is the key to many yoga poses, make sure to work from the legs. Do standing postures first, then twists, then forward bends and finally backbends. Following this sequence will allow you to prepare your arms, shoulders and spine for more-intense poses.

8. Stop, look and listen. Your home practice is an opportunity to take note of how your body and mind feel and to make the yoga truly your own. Tune in to how you're feeling as you practice, and pay attention to the instructions you're giving to yourself—the attention you're paying to your breathing, posture and strength. Essentially, listen to the voice of the teacher inside yourself.

9. Don't push it. Save poses you don't feel confident doing for class, when you can be supervised. For instance, a headstand, done incorrectly, can lead to serious neck and shoulder injuries and shouldn't be practiced by anyone without the requisite experience.

10. Cool down. You may be tempted to skip a cool-down when pressed for time. Don't. Always end with corpse pose—even if it's only for a few minutes.