Alternative Jobs for Yoga Teachers, Both Full and Part-Time

While there are pros and cons to teaching yoga, yoga instructors serve an important purpose. First and foremost, they help practitioners of all levels develop a safe, effective yoga practice. Good instructors also inspire their students to make this practice a regular occurrence. 

But, sometimes, people want to work in a role that is outside of a traditional yoga instructor job. This can send them in search of an alternative option. And their reasons for doing this are as varied as yoga teachers themselves.

Reasons You May Want to Do Something Other Than Teaching Yoga

One reason you might want a non-teaching position is that you’ve been an instructor for a while and want to try something else. You could teach a yoga class in your sleep and are looking to change things up. 

Or maybe you have a passion for yoga and, therefore, want to work in this field. Yet, you’re not interested in teaching this practice to others. Instead, you’d rather do something different—something that doesn’t involve standing in front of a class and explaining how to do various yoga poses.

Some people aren’t looking to get out of teaching yoga but want to do something additional on a part-time basis. Taking this approach can help both seasoned and new instructors increase their income. It also helps build your skill sets, making you an even more effective yoga teacher.

Whatever your situation, you can work in a variety of positions within the yoga industry. Some of these positions are available full-time, which may be beneficial if you’re looking for a complete career change. Others can be performed in a part-time capacity, making them good options if you’re looking to gain more skills or boost your income.

Full and Part-Time Alternative Jobs for Yoga Teachers

If you don’t want to be a yoga instructor or plan to supplement teaching with alternative jobs, many options exist. Here are a few job opportunities outside that of a yoga teacher role:

• Offer services as a freelance yoga writer. Have you ever done an online search to learn more about yoga? Someone had to write the information you read. If you enjoy writing, you could offer this service as a freelance yoga writer. In this role, you could help companies in the yoga space create their website content or social media posts. The average hourly rate for a freelance content writer is $26 per hour according to Glassdoor (1). Even committing just a few hours a week to this type of gig is a good way to boost your income.

• Develop and sell yoga products. Do you have an idea for a better yoga mat? Or maybe you’ve created your own tools to enhance the yoga session? You can develop and sell these types of products to yoga companies, other teachers, or yoga students. Don’t yet have an idea but would love to come up with one? Think about some of the common problems that yoga teachers face, then brainstorm potential solutions. You could also do a student poll and ask what types of products your classes would like to have but cannot currently find.

• Be a spokesperson for a yoga or wellness company. Using a certified yoga instructor as a spokesperson can give a company greater credibility. If there’s a particular business that you like, reach out to them and offer to be this person. They might use you in television commercials or promotional videos. They could also use you to model yoga postures for a print ad. Some companies pay extremely well to be the face of their brand.

• Plan a yoga workshop. This can be a good option for those who still want to be an instructor but would also enjoy offering expanded services. You can include a class as part of your workshop while also offering lecture and discussion sessions. This provides more opportunities for sharing your yoga knowledge. It’s also a good fit for someone with an interest in yoga education.

• Create a yoga retreat. Some people have such a passion for yoga that they want to be immersed in it. If you have enough space (or access to it), you could create a retreat for these individuals. Give them someplace to go when they want to step out of their everyday life. Although this option is more time intensive, you also typically charge more per person. Offer just a few retreats per year and you can raise your income quite a bit.

• Open a yoga studio. Perhaps you want to help others learn yoga, it’s just that you don’t want to teach it yourself. One way to do this is as a yoga studio owner. Hire a staff of yoga teachers and let them lead classes. The benefit of this approach is you can set up the studio any way you wish. You also get to determine what the class schedule looks like, providing maximum control.

• Become a yoga therapist. While they sound similar, offering yoga therapy is not the same as yoga teaching. A yoga therapist teaches this practice in a therapeutic setting. Research connects yoga therapy with better emotional regulation in young children (2). Some health experts also report that it can improve cognitive function in people with neurodevelopmental disorders (3). Becoming a yoga therapist requires at least 800 hours of training compared to the 200 hours it takes to become a yoga teacher. But it can also be an incredibly rewarding role, making it worth the additional effort.

• Provide wellness coaching. If you’re looking for an alternative that has a yoga component but isn’t entirely focused on this practice, you may also pursue a wellness coaching position. Yes, a yoga practice can contribute to improved wellness. But so do a nutritious diet, regular exercise, regular stress reduction, and more. Becoming a wellness coach is one way to remain involved in yoga teaching, albeit on a smaller scale.

How to Prepare for an Alternative Career in Yoga

Some of these alternative jobs for yoga teachers may require additional training. Yoga therapist is one. You might also pursue more training to learn how to be an effective wellness coach or to hone your craft as a freelance yoga writer. Training programs can help you become more effective in these roles.

It’s also helpful to consider your transferable skills. What skills have you developed as a yoga teacher that can help in your desired position? Some to consider are those related to communication and listening. You’re also likely good at motivating others and problem-solving. All these skills can transfer to numerous non-teaching positions.

Another way to prepare is by taking a teacher training program. This provides many advantages, even if you don’t intend to apply what you learn by working as a yoga teacher.

Benefits of Yoga Teacher Training, Even If You Don’t Plan on Teaching

Certainly, if you want to be a certified yoga teacher, a teacher training program teaches you how to excel in this role. But there are additional benefits of this type of program that have nothing at all to do with teaching. They include:

• learning about yoga philosophy and how it can enhance your life

• learning proper form for your own personal yoga practice

• gaining knowledge that can make you a better businessperson

• boosting your communication skills, both when speaking and listening

Tips for Choosing a Reputable Yoga School

No matter what you want to do in the yoga field—or within health and wellness, in general—a teacher training program can help. When deciding where to pursue this training, look for a school that is approved by the Yoga Alliance. 

The Yoga Alliance sets the standards in teacher training. So, if a school is approved by this organization, this means that it has met the required standards and will supply the information needed to work in this field.

Also, consider choosing a school that offers access to continuing education classes. These classes are required to retain your certification. They also keep you abreast of what is happening in the field so, whatever you do, you do it with the most current information in mind.

If you’re ready to get started, ISSA Yoga & Wellness Academy offers a Yoga 200 course. This 200-hour course is approved by the Yoga Alliance and can help further your career path, even if that path involves a position outside of the teaching realm.

References

1. Salary: Content writer in United States. Glassdoor. (2022, September 15). https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/content-writer-salary-SRCH_KO0,14.htm 

2. Hagen, I., & Nayar, U. S. (2014). Yoga for children and young people’s mental health and well-being: Research Review and reflections on the Mental Health Potentials of Yoga. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 5. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2014.00035 

3. Soccalingam, A., Ramanathan, M., & Bhavanani, A. B. (2020). Yoga therapy on cognitive function in neurodevelopmental disorders. Interdisciplinary Approaches to Altering Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 143–160. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-3069-6.ch009