Most yoga teachers start part-time — and many stay that way by choice. According to Yoga Alliance’s own data, about 67% of yoga teachers teach fewer than 10 hours per week. So if you’re wondering whether you can teach yoga while keeping your day job, the answer is absolutely yes. Here’s how to make it work.

Realistic Scheduling Options

Here’s what part-time yoga teaching actually looks like for people with 9-5 jobs:

Evening classes: 6-8pm slots are some of the most popular class times. Studios are always looking for teachers who can cover evenings.
Weekend mornings: Saturday and Sunday morning classes are high-demand and don’t conflict with weekday work.
Lunch hour classes: Corporate yoga or studio classes from 12-1pm work if your job has a flexible lunch break.
Early morning: 6-7am classes attract dedicated students and leave your workday completely free.

Starting with 2-4 classes per week is completely reasonable. That’s 2-6 hours of teaching, plus maybe 1-2 hours of planning. Very doable alongside a full-time job. 😊

Online Teaching Changes Everything

This is the game-changer that didn’t exist 10 years ago. Teaching online means:

No commute to the studio
You can teach from anywhere (even on a work trip)
You can record classes and sell them as on-demand content
You can reach students in different time zones

An evening Zoom class from your living room takes about 75 minutes total — including setup and teardown. That’s incredibly time-efficient compared to commuting to a studio, teaching, and driving home.

Building Slowly Is Smart (Not Timid)

Here’s the thing about keeping your day job while teaching: it gives you the financial stability to build your yoga career without desperation. You can be selective about which classes you take. You can say no to low-paying gigs. You can invest in continuing education. You can grow at a pace that feels sustainable.

That’s not playing it safe. That’s being strategic.

When to Consider Going Full-Time

There’s no magic number, but here are some signs you might be ready:

Your yoga income covers at least 60-70% of your living expenses
You have 3-6 months of savings as a buffer
You have consistent, recurring teaching commitments (not just one-off gigs)
You’ve diversified your income streams (classes, privates, workshops, online)
You want to — not because you feel pressured, but because you’re genuinely ready

Don’t Quit Prematurely

I’ve seen too many newly certified teachers quit their day jobs immediately, only to burn out within a year because the financial pressure of needing every class to “count” takes all the joy out of teaching. Your day job isn’t the enemy of your yoga career — it’s the foundation that allows you to build it thoughtfully.

For more perspective on time and scheduling, check out how many hours a week yoga teachers actually work. And if you’re currently in training (or considering it), our guide on yoga teacher training while working full-time covers exactly how to manage both. For salary expectations, see how much yoga teachers make.

There’s no rush. Build your teaching practice like you’d build a yoga practice — one breath, one class, one student at a time. 🙏