By Faye Martins
Some instructors would have you believe that the best yoga teachers are full-time instructors. If you are considering teaching yoga, or have done it in the past, and would like to take on some classes, the prospect of taking on a full-time teaching position may seem daunting. Leaping into a full schedule of classes may be asking far too much of your body, and could lead to injuries or burnout. However, teaching part-time may be just the right answer for you. Here are some considerations to ponder, if you want to teach, but are daunted by the prospect of a full schedule.
Flexible Schedule Opportunities
Some community centers, gyms, and yoga studios offer classes seven days a week. A full-time yoga instructor may teach there four or five days a week if he or she is incredibly energetic, but who will teach on his or her days off? If you are ready to begin teaching, you may want to consider dovetailing your part-time hours with a full-time instructor’s hours. Not only would you be providing much-needed relief for another professional, but you will be introducing teaching to your own body in a gentle manner.
Lower Risk of Injury
Unless you are already practicing yoga for hours a day, a full-time schedule may expose you to overuse injuries, strains and general soreness. Beginning to teach on a part-time basis can allow your body to become used to the rigors of several classes a day, while still giving you ample time to recover properly.
More Time to Devote to Yourself
While financial pressures may seem overwhelming, you don’t want to leap into teaching yoga full-time until you are confident in your skills and abilities. A good yoga instructor never stops learning, so a part-time teaching schedule will leave time for you to continue your own education. You can study different forms of yoga in this extra time, which will expand both your horizons and the limits of your body.
Why Teaching Yoga Part Time May Be Right for You
If you are considering returning to teaching, or beginning to teach for the first time, a part-time schedule may be best at first. Not only will a part-time position help you have a flexible schedule and time to devote to your own practice of yoga, but it can help keep overuse injuries and soreness at bay.
Additionally, there is no financial risk in teaching classes part-time at a fitness club, church, community center, or a local yoga school. Many successful studio owners started out by teaching at night and working a 9 to 5 job for a full-time employer. This gives a yoga instructor time to calculate the risks of expanding or playing it safe and investing one’s earnings toward a retirement fund or your next vacation.
Playing it Safe
There is nothing wrong with playing it safe and teaching part-time. If you are a person who hates business and marketing, why take a financial risk of building a business at all? Let’s face it, studio owners have a job to do and it’s not for everyone. As a part-time teacher, yoga is still a passion, but the headaches of running a business, sitting down with accountants, paying taxes, managing employees, marketing, public relations, and keeping your head above water, financially, aren’t for everyone.
© Copyright 2013 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division
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