Finding Time for Myself: How 15 Minutes a Day Changed My Pilates Practice

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For a long time, my days were full. As I transitioned into teaching Pilates, most days started at 6am and finished after 8pm. Between teaching, training and everything else, finding time to do something just for myself often felt impossible.

I was doing what I loved, but somewhere along the way, I wasn't making enough time to practise for me.

When you're working in the movement industry, it's easy to assume that because you're teaching and moving throughout the day, you're already doing enough. But there's a difference between movement being your job and taking the time to practise something simply because you love it.

It wasn't until I began my classical Pilates training that I started to look at my own practice differently.

Rediscovering What I Love

As I immersed myself in my classical training, I realised just how much I loved the practice itself. Not just teaching it, not just learning about it, but actually taking the time to experience it in my own body.

It made me stop and ask myself a simple question.

If this is something I love so much, why am I not making time for it?

I had been practising around three times a week, often fitting it in whenever my schedule allowed. But I began to realise that I didn't necessarily need a full hour or an elaborate routine to have a meaningful practice.

What if I started with just 30 minutes a day? And what if, on the busiest days, even 15 minutes was enough?

It was a small shift in thinking, but it changed the way I approached my practice.

Finding 15 Minutes in the Day

I stopped thinking about my practice as something that needed to fit into a perfect schedule and started looking at it as something I could make space for every day.

Sometimes, it's as simple as using the Breath-a-cizer, spending time on the Pedi-Pole, exploring a few exercises on the Spine Corrector or Ladder Barrel, practising on the Cadillac, or enjoying a basic Mat or Reformer session.

Each piece of apparatus offers its own experience and opportunities to explore movement. I don't always need to do everything or complete a full workout. Sometimes, I simply choose what feels right for my practice that day and give myself the time to focus.

My practice has evolved from three times a week to practising every day. I've learnt that I don't always need a full session to experience the value of moving. I can choose an apparatus, focus on a few movements and give myself that little pocket of time in the day.

And that's what has made the difference.

Those 15 minutes have become more than just time spent exercising. They're an opportunity to reconnect with why I fell in love with Pilates in the first place — to keep learning, explore the classical method and, most importantly, enjoy the practice without the pressure of it being part of my job.

It's my time to practise, to learn and simply to enjoy moving.

You Don't Have to Do It All

I think it's easy to fall into the trap of believing that if we can't dedicate a full hour to exercise, it's not worth starting. We wait for a quieter week, a less demanding schedule or the perfect moment when we finally have enough time.

But life doesn't always slow down.

My days are still busy, and teaching remains a huge part of my life. The difference is that I've learnt I don't have to wait until everything else is done before I make time for myself.

Some days, I might spend longer on the reformer or explore movements on the Cadillac. Other days, I might choose the mat, the Spine Corrector, the Ladder Barrel, the Pedi-Pole or simply spend a few minutes working with my breath using the Breath-a-cizer.

Some days my practice might be longer. Other days, it's just 15 minutes. Both have a place.

It's not about doing everything perfectly or following a rigid routine. It's about showing up, even when time is limited, and remembering that your own wellbeing deserves a place in your day, too.

Practising for Me Makes Me Better at What I Do

One of the things I've come to appreciate most is how important it is to continue experiencing Pilates as a practitioner, not just as a teacher.

My own practice gives me time to focus, to learn, to explore movement and to continue developing my understanding of the classical method. Whether I'm working on the reformer, exploring the Cadillac, spending time on the Spine Corrector or Ladder Barrel, or returning to the simplicity of the mat, every session gives me an opportunity to keep learning.

It reminds me that Pilates is a practice in its own right. There is always more to explore, more to understand and more to experience in my own body.

When I make time for my own practice, I feel more connected to the work I teach. It keeps me curious, committed and inspired to continue learning.

And that is something I want to carry into every class I teach at Evolution Pilates Studio.

Because Pilates isn't just something I teach. It's something I love practising, learning and experiencing for myself.

A Little Reminder to Make Time for You

I know how easy it is to fill every hour of the day with work, family, responsibilities and the things that need to get done. Sometimes, making time for yourself can feel like one more thing on an already overwhelming list.

But what if you started small?

Fifteen minutes on the mat. A few movements on the reformer. Time exploring the Cadillac, Spine Corrector or Ladder Barrel. A little time on the Pedi-Pole, or simply a few moments to focus on your breath.

You don't need to do everything, and you don't need to wait until you have more time.

You just need to begin.

My own journey has reminded me that making time for something you love doesn't always require a huge change. Sometimes, it's simply about deciding that those few minutes matter.

For me, my daily Pilates practice has become my time — time to move, to learn, to reconnect and to remember why I love what I do.

It has changed the way I approach my own practice and reminded me that looking after myself doesn't have to mean finding hours in an already busy day.

Sometimes, 15 minutes is enough to reconnect with something you love.

So, if you've been putting yourself last or waiting for life to become a little less busy, perhaps this is your reminder to start small. Find a little time in your day to move, breathe and do something just for you.

You might be surprised by how much that small commitment comes to mean.

At Evolution Pilates Studio, I believe that continuing to learn, practise and experience movement for ourselves is an important part of the Pilates journey.

And sometimes, the most valuable thing we can do is make a little time for ourselves, one practice at a time.

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