It's 10pm. You're lying in bed, scrolling through Instagram, seeing women in beautiful Pilates studios, thinking: "I wish I could do that, but I just don't have time."
We need to talk about that "but."
Because here's what we've learned from the hundreds of women who walk through our doors at FloW: the moment you think you don't have time for Pilates is precisely the moment you need it most.
The Time Paradox
Let's be honest about what "I don't have time" really means in Mauritius:
- You wake up before sunrise to prep breakfast, pack school bags, and get yourself ready for work
- You sit in Port Louis traffic, your shoulders creeping toward your ears
- You work through lunch because "it's just easier"
- You drive home, stop at Winner's, cook dinner, help with homework, clean up
- You finally sit down at 9pm, exhausted, already dreading tomorrow
Sound familiar? Here's the paradox: you feel too busy because you're giving everything to everyone else. The very act of feeling "too busy" for yourself is a symptom of the problem Pilates can help solve.
When our member S.M. first contacted us, she said, "I have three kids, a full-time job, aging parents. I can't possibly add another thing."
Six months later, she told us: "Pilates didn't add to my load. It gave me the strength to carry it."
What 100 Minutes Per Week Actually Gives You
Two 50-minute Pilates sessions per week. That's less time than you spend in Intermart on a Saturday.
But here's what those 100 minutes do:
More Energy for Everything Else
Movement creates energy. The exhaustion you feel isn't from doing too much—it's from doing too much without taking care of your body. Pilates clients consistently report having MORE energy for their families, their work, their lives.
Better Sleep
When your body is physically tired (not just mentally exhausted), you sleep deeper. Better sleep means better patience, better decisions, better everything. One good night's sleep is worth more than three Netflix episodes.
Stress Management
Clinical research shows Pilates reduces cortisol (stress hormone) levels. Those 50 minutes aren't "taken from" your life—they're the reset button that makes the other hours work better.
A Brain Break
You can't think about your to-do list when you're balancing on one leg. Pilates forces you to be present. That mental break is as valuable as the physical workout.
You're not taking time away from your life. You're investing time to have more life in your days.
The Realistic Mauritius Schedule
Let's talk honestly about timing in Mauritius. We understand:
- 🚗Traffic is real. A "20-minute drive" means 40 minutes at 5pm.
- 👨👩👧👦Family comes first. School pickups, dinner prep, elderly parents—these aren't negotiable.
- 💼Work schedules vary. Some of you work 8-5, others have shifts, some work from home.
That's why at FloW Floréal, we've designed our schedule around real Mauritian women's lives:
Class Time Options
Tuesday & Thursday 10:00am
Perfect for: Stay-at-home mums (school drop-off done), shift workers, flexible schedule professionals
Win: No traffic, mid-morning energy boost, home before school pickup
Wednesday & Friday 6:30pm
Perfect for: Working women, those with daytime commitments
Win: Decompress after work, better sleep, Riverwalk parking easier after rush hour
Saturday 7:15am
Perfect for: Everyone! Start your weekend right
Win: Done before family wakes up, rest of weekend free, coffee at Riverwalk after
Location matters too: We're at Riverwalk Floréal—central, easy parking, 10 minutes from Curepipe, Quatre Bornes, and Rose Hill. You're not driving to the other side of the island for wellness.
Making It Non-Negotiable
Here's the truth nobody tells you: finding time doesn't work. You have to make time. And making time means treating your Pilates class like you treat your dentist appointment—it's happening.
Strategies that actually work for our Mauritius members:
1. Block the time first, solve logistics second
Put "Pilates - FloW" in your calendar immediately. Then figure out school pickup help, dinner prep, whatever needs adjusting. When you wait until "the perfect time," you wait forever.
2. Tell people "I have an appointment"
You don't need to explain it's Pilates (though you can!). "I have an appointment Tuesday and Thursday mornings" is enough. You wouldn't cancel a doctor's visit for someone else's convenience.
3. Ask for support, specifically
"Can you handle dinner on Wednesdays?" is easier to say yes to than "I need help with everything." Most partners/family members want to support you—they just don't know how.
4. Start with one class per week
You don't have to do our Harmony (2x/week) or Infinity (unlimited) packages immediately. Our Serenity Package is one class per week. Once your family adjusts to that one hour, adding a second becomes natural.
5. Notice what changes
After four weeks, pay attention: Are you sleeping better? Less snappy with kids? Standing taller? These improvements make the "time investment" feel more like a gift.
What This Is Really About
Let's go deeper. Because "I don't have time" often means something else:
Sometimes it means: "I don't deserve to take time for myself."
Or: "Everyone else's needs are more important than mine."
Or: "If I'm not constantly productive, I'm being selfish."
If any of that resonates, we need to tell you something:
Taking care of your body is not selfish. It's foundational. You cannot pour from an empty cup, and you cannot show up fully for others when you're running on fumes.
Our member K.R. said it perfectly: "I thought taking an hour for Pilates was taking away from my kids. Then I realized: stressed, exhausted, resentful mum or strong, energized, present mum? That wasn't a hard choice once I saw it clearly."
Your Next Step
We're not going to tell you to "just make it a priority" or "just find the time." That's not helpful.
Instead, we're going to invite you to try something:
The 4-Week Experiment
Commit to one Pilates class per week for four weeks. Just one.
Choose the time that works best (even if it's not perfect).
After four weeks, honestly assess: Did you have more energy or less? Did life feel harder or easier? Did you miss anything important?
We're confident you'll find that one hour per week gave you back far more than it took.
At FloW, we've created our ladies-only space specifically for busy Mauritius women who think they don't have time. Our classes are 50 minutes (not 90), our location is central, our schedule works around real life.
"You have time for what you make time for. And you, dear woman carrying the world, deserve to make time for yourself."
— FloW Mauritius Community