4 tips for a more balanced Pilates Teaching life!
Finding Balance as a Pilates Teacher. Did it happen for you so far this year? I blogged about this a few weeks ago. Finding balance in your Pilates teaching, your Pilates schedule, your private life outside the Pilates studio. As a Pilates teacher I find that this is a constant struggle for me and for many Pilates teachers that I have chatted with over the years.
In my blog “Finding Balance as a Teacher” a few weeks ago, it was really looking back at when I first started teaching Pilates and how I was trying to fill up my schedule, getting that burnout as I was teaching every day from early morning to evening hours. Even after opening my own studio then not being “at work” but still emails, texts, bills, new clients, taking care of teachers and my own clients. I realized as I was writing that blog that WAIT I am feeling this way now, again. The stress, the overwhelmed feeling was again familiar. That feeling that I was living at the studio and unable to escape even when I was at home.
How did I let this happen? I was back to working 7 days a week even if I wasn’t in the studio. Talk about not holding myself accountable! It hit me, I need to take some accountability for myself and get some balance back for me. I took a hard look at my schedule of clients and my own Pilates practice.
I realized I taught clients Mon- Saturday along with Teacher Training classes and Mentee’s time that usually took up more of the weekend. Throw traveling to teach in there and I knew something had to go! I noticed my private sessions for my own workout and the words of a fellow Pilates teacher and Studio Owner hit me like a ton of bricks! I realized how I had changed a key thing in my weekly Pilates life once I opened my studio. My own Pilates practice!
This Pilates friend has a set appointment for her own session with her Teacher every week just as I did yet, she would drive an hour each way to get it. Nothing would interfere with that. As a young Pilates teacher I always left the studio I taught at and had my session elsewhere. That stopped when I opened my studio. I would have my weekly session but, always with a teacher in my space. Was that bad? I realized yes for me it was. Why? I found that during my session the teacher would talk about things at the studio, or questions they had, or clients. I also noticed I was still making sure all was running smoothly even though I should have been focused on my workout. It always happened at some point I would get that “ I hate to bother you but, real quick” or “when you are done” . I wasn’t able to really truly be in my practice.
I immediately called a friend who I have worked with and she has studied with many of the same people I have over the years. She runs a studio about 35 minutes south and we got a time set and the change has been dramatic for me. The drive is full of my thoughts, music sometimes not. It is almost meditative for me commuting.
4 things I have noticed since this small change in finding some balance:
My sessions are now focused and I realize I am more “there” than when I was in my studio- I am not having to look around or make sure all is ok in the studio as it is not my responsibility and the clients and teachers go about doing what they do not bothering or needing me.
I have time to collect myself- The drive from my studio to my Teachers is time to breathe, let things go and mentally get to just me for my session.
My mood is lighter- Knowing that when friday comes I have that drive, that session and time for me away from my studio has given my spirit a lift. Even when I hit the studio for the weekend it feels like I had a break.
My brain is less cloudy- When I get stressed, tired or overwhelmed I can tell the way my brain and thoughts don’t connect, I get forgetful, I can’t focus on one thing and now I can sit and read, write my blogs, go over quizzes from the Teacher Training students and feel “there!”
Are you ready to find your Balance?