7 Steps to Start Teaching Yoga Full Time

When I left my 9-5 job to pursue teaching yoga full-time, I’ll admit—I wasn’t as prepared as I could’ve been. 

I needed to escape a toxic work environment that was destroying my mental health, and that urgency was my main motivation to pursue teaching yoga full-time. Reflecting back, there are a few things I’d approach differently if I were to do it all over again.

So, if you’re thinking about making the transition to teaching yoga full-time, here are the steps I’d recommend taking for a smoother transition:

Step 1: Do a Life Audit

First, ask yourself: Do I realistically have the time and energy to pursue teaching yoga right now? Does the idea of teaching excite you or sound draining? 

Be honest about your priorities. Where does teaching yoga fit in with other life priorities? Do you have any big life changes coming up? 

Thinking long-term, what are your goals with teaching yoga? For example, do you one day want to teach yoga full-time or simply earn some extra side money?

Then take a look at your schedule and to see where you can fit in teaching yoga—evenings and weekends tend to be the most in-demand times. Maybe you already wake up early and could fit in a 7 am time slot. What timing works best with your schedule?

Your answers to the questions above will help give you direction on which opportunities to pursue and if now is the right time to take on teaching yoga full time. If the timing isn’t right, don’t force it.

Check in with your mental and physical health, are you in a place right now to effectively manage a big life change? Don’t forget to consider the big picture. What’s coming up in the next 12–18 months? If there’s already something big on the horizon—moving, getting married, having a child—factor that into your timeline. 

Step 2: Get Financial Clarity

Take a look at your monthly expenses and current savings. How long could your savings cover your expenses while you work on building up income as a full-time yoga teacher? Are there any expenses you could cut back on, either temporarily or permanently, during this transition? Ideally, aim to save at least six months’ worth of expenses as a financial safety net.

Set a clear, time-bound financial goal—like, "I want to make $X within my first year/6 months of teaching yoga full time." If you share finances with other family members, make sure you’re aligned on potential financial impacts of switching to teaching full time.

Step 3: Teaching Check In

Ask yourself: Are you confident in your yoga teaching skills? What areas do you still want to develop? How often are you currently teaching?

If you don’t feel fully confident in your ability to teach, consider gaining more experience before going full time. You’ll need to rely on your teaching skills while you develop business skills to make ends meet. Working on both areas at the same time will be very challenging. It’s possible to do but I don’t recommend it.

Step 4: Plan Ahead

If any parts of Steps 1-3 aren’t where you want them to be, create a roadmap to get there. For example, if your savings goal isn’t met, figure out how much you need to save each month to hit that amount in the next six months.

If your teaching skills need more practice, look for additional teaching opportunities to help you gain experience. The more hours you teach the faster you’ll improve. You may also consider working with a yoga teacher mentor.

Whatever the obstacle, I recommend making a plan to address it before you take the leap to teaching full time. Keep in mind sometimes it’s just making adjustments to your timeline.

Step 5: Map Out Your Direction

I quit my job without a clear direction for my yoga teaching career, thinking I’d “just figure it out.” Spoiler alert: that approach didn’t work. Don’t be like me.

Instead, research yoga teaching rates in your area and figure out how many classes, workshops, retreats, corporate clients, or private sessions you’ll need to hit your financial goal from Step 2. Decide if you’ll focus on local, in-person classes or build an online community.

Be sure to consider if that plan fits with your life at the moment and the schedule you want. Start thinking about your boundaries now. When do you absolutley not want to work? What does your ideal daily schedule look like? Ensure your plan aligns with your financial goals and desired lifestyle.

Then start moving in that direction—even if it’s just small steps. Keep taking on as many yoga teaching opportunities (that are aligned with your plan) as you can while holding on to your day job.

Step 6: Take the Leap

Once you’re turning down opportunities because of time constraints, that’s a sign it’s time to transition to teach full time. If possible, reduce your hours at your day job, work part-time, or explore freelance options to create a more gradual shift to teaching full time.

Step 7: Tell People!

Once you’ve established your timing, start by notifying your current yoga jobs that you’re going full-time and are looking for more opportunities. Spread the word to friends, family, other yoga instructors, and anyone who will listen. The more people know, the more opportunities they can pass along your way.

Following these steps you’ll be able to make a smoother transition teaching yoga full time.

In the next episode of Full Time Flow, I’m sharing how much money I’ve made every month teaching yoga this year.