34. Balancing having a job and teaching yoga

This episode is focusing on balancing having a job and teaching yoga; including being really honest about what happens if and when these conflict, mindfully switching roles (I talked about the importance of this last week in episode 33: balancing parenting and teaching yoga), making sure that there is actually enough time for everything that you want to do, and what yoga philosophy says to help us prioritise.

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Now that so many of us have the office in our pocket, the days stretch sneakily beyond 9 - 5, the weight of work weighs heavily and there always seems like there’s loads to do. This is a problem, there’s no doubting it. But what about when you have a second job of teaching yoga? Teaching yoga demands that you be at your best; inspired, energetic, clear and concise, physically able. And so - this could create a conflict. 

Your job demands a lot of you. Teaching yoga demands a lot of you. 

You’re not on your own, yoga teacher. This episode is designed to help you prioritise the elements and roles of your life in a way that will make you feel great. Oh and there’s a little side helping of harsh truth too (sorry). 

Enjoy! And remember, yoga teacher, you’re doing a great job.

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Yoga and The Neurobiology of Stress, July 26

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Chapters

• 2:18 What to do, when the day job and teaching yoga, conflict
• 4:50 Mindfully switching roles
• 7:54 Is there time for everything?

Transcript

[00:00:00] 

Hello, and welcome to For yoga Teachers. This podcast has been created to help yoga teachers teach with passion, avoid burn out and earn a fair living. 

This episode is focusing on having a job and teaching yoga. Including being really honest about what happens if these conflict. Mindfully switching roles; I talked about the importance of this in last week's podcast, 'balancing parenting and teaching yoga', making sure that there is actually enough time to do everything that you want to do and what yoga philosophy says to help us prioritise. 

Next week's episode focuses on how to become a full time yoga teacher, including how to work out [00:01:00] if and when to leave your job and creating a plan for if at all it hits the fan. 

So keep your eyes well, ears, peeled for that. 

If we were yoga teachers 50 years ago, or maybe even 20 years ago, this conversation would be very different. Now with the inventions of the internet and smartphones, which have undoubtedly given us countless benefits. They have also brought with them having your office in your pocket. It used to be that when you left the office, that was that. And if something happened that needed you, you would find out the next day. 

Now there's quite commonly an expectation to answer emails in the evening, to problem solve over your lunch hour. To be logged in and available much more than from nine till five. 

In my experience, most yoga teachers really care about everything. So me just saying well turn the phone off at 5:00 PM is great advice. But probably [00:02:00] not one that fits with your values set because you care about your career, and your colleagues and you want to do a great job. 

So let's be pragmatic. Let's consider real lives rather than ideal lives. Let's go. 



what to do, when the day job and teaching yoga, conflict.

This is something that comes up so, so commonly in mentoring sessions. Yoga teachers are so profoundly moved by how amazing it feels to share something that makes people feel so good something that is healthy and wholesome and- in the main- does right by society. 

So much so that if the 'day job', as it were, does not necessarily do all or indeed, any of these things, it can create conflict. And people, surprisingly regularly, talk about their [00:03:00] role as making people with lots of money, just have more money.

I get it. I really do. It can feel contradictory to what you're trying to achieve with your yoga teaching. So, what do we do? Well, one option that I'm sure you've already been thinking about is to quit the day job.

Maybe that's part of your long-term plan. 

Remember, that's what we're looking at in next week's podcast episode. 

But maybe it's not realistic for you full stop or right now. So now what, how do you manage the conflict? 

First things first: let's consider the mindset. Perhaps your day job allows you to teach yoga. Your day job paid you enough that you could build up some savings in order to enroll on a yoga teacher training in the first place. 

It sustains you while you're building confidence, building experience. 

Without your [00:04:00] day job, you just might not have been able to train as a yoga teacher full stop. Or you might not have the Liberty of taking lower paid classes or maybe even free classes to be able to build up your experience and your confidence. 

So there is some goodness in there.

Also, perhaps your day job has taught you, and is teaching you some very valuable skills, like turning upon time, like dealing with people like prioritising workload, managing your time and probably so, so much more. 

So dealing with conflict between your day job and teaching yoga, can be combated by finding gratitude, by finding joy in everything that your job has allowed you to do and learn.

Mindfully switching roles. 

This is something that so many of you got in touch about after last week's episode. That it helped you get in the Headspace [00:05:00] for what's coming next. Thank you so much for your comments and your feedback. It really means a lot. And because those meditations have been, so well-received, I've created one for switching between work, work and teaching yoga work, get yours from the show notes.

In essence, you know what it's like when you've had one of those days, perhaps you had a deadline or a disagreement with that colleague again. Or you promise someone that you definitely definitely get that thing done today. Definitely. But emails have been coming in so quickly. You just haven't been able to get to it. Like I say, it was one of those days. 

You've got your weekly class to teach tonight, which you do love, but it's starting to become a little bit of a drain. Um, not that you really want to admit that. And on the way to class you're working out; 'what time can I get into the office tomorrow? Or maybe I could just do a couple of bits tonight when I get home from teaching yoga.' You're [00:06:00] also juggling to resolve the dispute with the colleague, or how to write that email or. Okay. 

I think we've painted enough of a picture there. 

I have a horrible thing to say here. I apologise profusely. Sort of. For saying such a rubbish thing, but I really think it does need to be said. And you do probably already know. So here we go. The to-do list, the overflowing email inbox, the dispute with the colleague, the deadline, those things will all still be there tomorrow. Whether you worry about them in the meantime or not.

Sorry. I know that sounds so negative and I really don't mean it in a negative way. 

I promise I don't. I mean it in the way that those things will be there in the morning to be dealt with in the morning. In the mean time, wouldn't it be wonderful to use your tools and your techniques, to think about, to focus on, the things that you love and the things that make [00:07:00] you feel good, like teaching yoga. 

Yoga philosophy can help with this like the Yoga Sutras of Master Patanjali Sutra 2 33, 

the practice of pratypaksha bhavana when you think something negative, think something else. So when you find yourself ruminating about work, force yourself firmly, but gently, to think of something else, maybe something that you love, or someone that you love, something that you're grateful for, something that you achieved today, et cetera.

So now using this approach with your mindful switching of roles; you can expect to be mindful and present in your yoga teaching, as opposed to having an undercurrent of how will I get this done? Or how will I resolve this, et cetera?

Is there time for everything? 

As I mentioned earlier. I would say that [00:08:00] every yoga teacher that I've met really, really cares about most, all, all things in their lives, and so doing the bare minimum in the day job probably isn't an option. 

But bearing in mind that there's probably enough work to keep you going for 24 hours a day, which of course is not an option. How do you decide what to do and what not to do? Well luckily, there's an answer right there in the Yamas for us. 

Phew.Brahmacharya is often talked about as chastity or celibacy, because sex is a huge taker of energy. I like to explain it as moderation of your resources. Remember you have a finite amount of energy, mental bandwidth, and time. 

This is not saying that you must use every ounce of those valuable resources. 

Yoga teacher rest is so deeply important.

But instead think [00:09:00] about using these resources in the most sensible and effective way to look after yourself, to look after the people, do your job, teach yoga and do all of the other things that are important to you.

If your to do list includes all the things from your day job, all of the things for running a house, and all the yoga teacher things like planning and promoting classes, doing your admin travel, et cetera. And some self care things. It might simply be that there just aren't enough hours in the day to do all of these things. 

It's very possible. 

So yoga teacher let's be pragmatic. Remember we're keeping in mind real lives, not ideal lives. What needs to be lopped off that list? You can't magic more valuable resources, but you can spend them more wisely. Do you need to just put down some housework? Do you need to hand a project over to a colleague? Do you need to get [00:10:00] cover for classes for a couple of weeks? 

So yoga teacher, I hope that's helped refine the balance between having a job and being a yoga teacher. 

And for the last time, remember a frazzled yoga teacher probably won't inspire everyone. So don't feel bad about turning things down, don't feel bad about looking after yourself. Find and focus on the rewards of your job. And be realistic about the time and energy demands of having a job and being a yoga teacher. 

And from this moment from right now, ensure that both fit easily into your life with all of your other roles, hobbies and commitments. If there's not enough time, be pragmatic and ruthless. What do you need to put down? Even if it's just for a week or so. If you'd be so kind to share this with another yoga teacher, we would be so [00:11:00] incredibly grateful. And until next time, remember you are doing a great job. Happy happy teaching.