[00:00:00] Welcome to Pilates Teachers' Manual, a podcast for Pilates teachers by a Pilates teacher. I'm Olivia, and I'll be your host. Jump in the conversation on Instagram @pilatesteachersmanual. Today's chapter starts now.
Hello, hello. Welcome to today's episode of Pilates Teachers' Manual. Today, we're going to be talking about building your dream schedule, and I definitely wanted to use a verb because your dream schedule doesn't like come from the clouds and just be handed to you. It definitely is something that you have to intentionally [00:01:00] create. So we're going to talk about how to build it.
This episode is kind of important to me because I was in a place just about a year ago where I was doing what I love, but I was still really tired. And I didn't know what to do to fight that fatigue that I was feeling, even though I was living my dream, you know?
So, what I found is that creating a schedule that I'm also excited about, and as in love with as what I'm doing, really went a long way to helping me be a better teacher, because I just wasn't exhausted all the time. So how do you do that? Excellent question. Let's dive in.
For new teachers. Legit just teach as much as you can. As much as you're physically able to do, as much as your schedule allows, because that's how you're going to develop a lot of confidence as a teacher. That's how you're going to get more comfortable teaching. And that's just teaching a lot, [00:02:00] just do that if you can, if your schedule permits.
But at the same time, I'm a big proponent of knowing yourself, knowing your limits and setting those boundaries. So when you're just getting started teaching, or if you're like me and you're a few years into teaching and you've kind of hit a wall, just ask yourself, what do I want to teach? What would my dream schedule look like? So, do you like teaching in the mornings? Are you an early bird? Is that your jam? Do you like teaching in the evenings? Does that make you happy? Do you like teaching during the week? Do you want to have weekends free or do you want to teach during the weekends? Know those things and also know what that's going to mean in terms of money.
Like, if you're doing this as a side hustle or a full time gig, just know that evenings and weekends are going to be a lot more people in your classes. And so that's [00:03:00] going to translate monetarily into a great thing. That if you are going to be doing those, unless you're doing like really early morning classes that you may not have as full classes, but you know, there's ways around that, but just like, keep that in mind as well, and then really shape your schedule to fit what works best for you.
I definitely don't recommend doing what I did because it took me about three years to get my schedule the way that I wanted it. Because I just took everything that was offered and then pared down. It's a lot easier to say yes to the things that you love and keep those things than to say yes to everything, and then feel exhausted, and then have to start letting go of commitments. It's doable. I did it. It was fine, but you can definitely do it in less than three years if you're more intentional about it than I was. I definitely could have done it sooner if I had a little sit down [00:04:00] with myself and was like, Hey, this isn't working.
Another thing in terms of shaping your schedule, especially if you're already teaching, like talk to your studio owners, to your general managers. If you want to add classes at specific times, like they can't read your mind, let them know what you're going for. Talk with other teachers and like make moves, make that happen, offer times that you're available and then be an amazing teacher so that they want to offer more of you, you know.
A note on privates, a hundred percent only offer the times that you want to teach when you're building your dream schedule. Don't list every time that you're available. List times that you're available, that you want to teach. Very important.
Another component of this dream schedule of yours is liking the places that you're teaching, you know. On that note, like work places that you like. Take classes at the studios. If you're trying out a new studio and you're not sure if you want to teach there, take classes. [00:05:00] And if you like taking classes there, you will probably also like teaching there. If it has a good feeling, if there's great instructors, if there's great, you know, support staff and management, know that before you put all of your chips in that basket, right. Talk to your friends that are teachers talk to the teachers at the studios and, you know, get in there, like put yourself out there, get in there for sure.
Building off of knowing yourself also know what recovery time you need. Know if you need time that is downtime, that is like non-teaching time.
Know what you want your schedule to look like in terms of privates and group classes, and a big thing to ask yourself is what energizes you? Do you love that group class dynamic? Do you love, you know, small group or private dynamic? That'll go a long way in terms of where you want [00:06:00] to start shifting your focus and where you want to start offering more, what classes make you feel excellent. Like if you do four group classes in a row, are you going to feel fantastic? Are you going to feel like you need to hibernate? Know that and then kind of go from there with that self knowledge, always do more of what energizes you, when you can and do less of the things that exhaust you.
And then another thing that's really important is to share your classes, share your clients. So if you have these amazing people in your group classes, but you are not vibing with teaching a ton of group class hours, you know, get other teachers in those classes. Like share your class with them. If you're like, Hey, you know, I can't teach Tuesday nights. This is like draining me like crazy. Get teachers in there that are going to love that, or same thing. Like if you have privates and you're either not connecting with those people, or you're trying to change your schedule so that you have [00:07:00] less privates or different days, like share those clients with people who, you know, who are going to be a great fit, because in that way, like everyone's, sort of, Pilates world grows.
So recovery time, making time for yourself to sort of recharge. I would also argue that if it is at all possible and like even go to make it possible to take classes from other teachers. So important because you're going to learn new things, you're going to learn new cues, and you're also going to build this Pilates community where you have teachers that you can recommend, like for group classes or for your private clients, or if you're traveling or you're sick and you need people to cover your classes.
Like you want to have these great relationships with fabulous instructors so that it becomes this, you know, it takes a village to, to be a studio, you know, that you're really working [00:08:00] together because Pilates as a whole is this beautiful, fantastic and wonderful thing. And it benefits the entire world when people try Pilates and then their body feels better like the, the chain reaction of one person coming in and feeling better after a Pilates class, ginormous, like the butterfly effect is insane.
So you don't want to be so concerned necessarily with even just like building your dream schedule, but you're also like building a dream world that all these teachers can really benefit and that these people who are coming to you and finding the love of Pilates, yes, they're loyal to you, but they also recognize that Pilates is amazing and the world doesn't end if, you know, you go on vacation and they see someone else.
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So telling you a little bit about how I got my start teaching and how I got to a schedule that I absolutely love, which right now I am so thrilled with my schedule. Like it makes me so happy to teach. And I just know that I'm a better teacher because I love what I'm doing and when I'm doing it and how I'm doing it and literally everything about it. I'm so in love with my schedule, it's silly.
And it did come from a place of [00:10:00] knowing myself. It just took a long time to realize that that I have a role to play in making my schedule. I definitely took my own advice when I finished my yoga certification. And that was, you know, like, okay, teach as much as you can.
So when I moved to Chicago three years ago, that's what I did. I took on classes in the morning and the evening and on weekends. And I was really spread out in terms of teaching. I was teaching six days a week and I had classes up to 12 hours apart on the same day. Like I would be teaching at seven o'clock in the morning and then at seven o'clock at night and it was doable, but it wasn't something that I was like really happy was happening.
Like I remember looking back at my schedule and being like, okay, I need to get through Tuesday, and then I can rest on [00:11:00] Wednesday, like that kind of mentality. And that's, you know, not ideal. You want to feel energized and passionate and have a schedule that really supports you. And I just didn't have that.
I looked back at my schedule that I had and I kind of cringe because now I know that it can be. Like so different and it can be so much better. But I also know that that worked for me at the time because I was teaching yoga and then teaching yoga and Pilates that, you know, take everything in pare down is like a totally valuable strategy.
But if you're maybe coming into teaching and you already have a part time job or a full time job, like that's likely not going to work for your schedule because you can't take everything if you're already having commitments, right?
So coming from that place of knowing myself, like I did sit down and I was like, look, I'm teaching these evening classes. And [00:12:00] like I'm teaching at Club Pilates in the West Loop and in River North, and I'm teaching until 8:30 or 9:30 at night. Like I can't teach at 6:30 in the morning. Even if I was a morning person. And I still consider myself to be a morning person, I enjoy mornings, but I can't burn the candle at both ends. I'm not going to teach way late at night and then get up, you know, sparkly in the morning. Like that just doesn't work for me.
So I began to shift my schedule into more evenings so that I'm teaching four nights a week and my morning appointments are not starting until 9 or 10 in the morning. And I keep them really close to me and like really close to where I live in Hyde Park because I feel energized teaching privates. Like for me, energetically, I can teach privates forever. It is so easy for me to connect with someone one-on-one and just really shape [00:13:00] this individualized session for them to like, just be a human in a room with another human.
Like that is my jam and it doesn't require, you know, a performance aspect or I don't have to, like, be more of myself. I can really just be myself, so that fits for me. So I have my schedule set up that I'm doing one or two privates in the morning and the commute is really easy. I can walk to those appointments. And then I can really devote myself to these high energy group classes that I also love, but I know that I do need a recovery. I can't do back-to-back group classes for eight hours in a day. I can do my night block and I love it, but I can't wake up in the morning and then do another block with the same energy and success. So what's, that what's, that's what works for me. That may not be what works for you. So a little bit of self reflection. Just [00:14:00] know what that is.
Another thing is, you know, I have a partner and I want to have time with them as a result. I. Want to make sure that some of our free time overlaps, like that's a thing that's important to me, especially when I'm teaching four nights a week. I want to make sure that my downtime matches their downtime so that we can see each other. That's great.
And then just also know what other things are important to you. Like I take yoga classes, I take Pilates classes, I have housesplants and I want to take care of them. And I want to binge Netflix occasionally in my pajamas. So I've created a schedule where I can do all of those things really comfortably and really enjoy everything that I'm doing because I have time to do all of the things that matter to me. Yeah.
And so when you are fabulously successful as an instructor and people are dying to be in your group classes, and everyone wants to do privates with you. If those are [00:15:00] things that you're trying to shape in your schedule, I'm really emphasizing that it's so important to be a team player and to recommend, you know, if you've got this person who loves your class on Wednesday night, be like, you know, you would really love Alison on Fridays because you know, she's at the same energy level as me. And she has really creative choreography too. And I think you guys would really hit it off because then the whole Pilates world grows and everyone feels included.
Same thing with privates. You know, if that you really want to have a network of Pilates teachers, of physical therapists of studios, that you can connect people with what works for them. And then, you know, we all benefit. We all grow.
Big takeaways from today's episode is that you can love what you do and have a schedule that you love. It does require some intentional creation on your [00:16:00] part, being assertive, speaking with studio owners, with your general manager, with other teachers, and also just knowing that it will happen.
And if you're listening to this episode, you've already got a jumpstart on me because now it can take you less than three years to get there. It does happen, but it does require a little elbow grease on your part. So I would love to hear from you, how is your schedule? Does it make you the happiest person in the world? I really hope it does. And what are you doing to get there if you're not there yet? Drop me a line. Let me know on Instagram or on email. Thanks so much, guys.
Thank you for listening to this chapter of Pilates Teachers' Manual. Be sure to visit the Instagram link in the description for the post on today's episode there, you can leave your comments, ask questions, and join the conversation. Also be sure to support [00:17:00] the podcast and take advantage of the great affiliate links in the description.
The adventure continues. Until next time.