How 10 Minutes of Movement can Change Your Day

If you’re in midlife, chances are your days are full before they even begin. Work deadlines, school drop-offs, caring for family, keeping life running, and somewhere in there you’re expected to “look after yourself” too. For many women, that idea can feel overwhelming before you’ve even put your shoes on.

One of the things women say to me is that they don’t have time to exercise amongst everything else. We look at how they can add small moments of movement into their days, sometimes just 5- or 10-minute bursts. But how much of an impact can just 10 minutes of movement actually have??

Starting your day with 10 minutes of stretching

Its not about exercise

You’ll notice I use both the words ‘exercise’ and ‘movement’ through this blog. Exercise is of course a form of movement. I generally think of it as a more planned and structured movement. But movement is much broader and can include any way that you move your body.

For years, we have been told that we have to exercise, and that exercise has to be intense, sweaty, and goal-oriented to “count.” We should be running 10km before we go to work in the morning, or spending an hour in the gym every evening.

For so many women, that mindset can feel exhausting and discouraging.

We often think about the long-term benefits of movement/exercise – losing weight, increased fitness, increased flexibility, increased strength when you get older. The thing about movement is that is has so many short-term benefits too, and sometimes they can be the most motivating because you can feel the benefits right now.

When you add these short sessions throughout your day, you create a habit that supports long-term health without overwhelming your schedule.

A small mood shift that can change the tone of your day

Our days can bring emotional load. There’s the stress, mental juggling of different tasks, dealing with lots of different people, and the constant feeling of like there is something else to do.

Gentle movement helps release feel-good chemicals in the brain, which can soften anxiety and stress and lift low moods. This is why a walk around the block can be great to clear a stressful morning at work. Ten minutes won’t erase a hard day, but it might help you breathe a little deeper, think a little clearer, and feel more grounded inside yourself.

Movement creates energy

When you’re already tired, the idea of moving can feel counterintuitive. Why would you want to use up the little bit of energy that you have left?  But surprisingly, movement often creates energy rather than draining it. A short walk, or some mobility stretches, can wake up your nervous system and combat low energy, such as that mid-afternoon slump many women know well.

You don’t need to feel motivated first. The movement itself often creates the motivation.

Movement improves focus

When your mind is full of schedules, responsibilities, and half-finished thoughts, movement can be a reset button. Even brief movement increases blood flow to the brain, helping improve focus, creativity, and decision-making.

I like to go for a short walk around the block during the middle of the day. It loosens up my body from sitting in a chair for a few hours in the morning, and helps reset my brain giving it space to focus on what is important.

Movement for physical health benefits

We are all aware that exercise is good for your physical health. But did you know that even short bursts of exercise can be beneficial? You may have heard the term ‘exercise snacks’ before. The idea is that even 1-2 minutes of vigorous activity a few times a day can have benefits for your heart, blood pressure and weight management. And the short term benefits of these exercise snacks include improved mood and energy.

Movement as self-care

Our bodies are changing, and with that can come frustration or self-criticism. Ten minutes of movement can offer a different approach. Instead of asking “how can I change my body?”, ask "how does my body feel today, and what would support it right now?”

Many women struggle to prioritise themselves without feeling selfish. I encourage you to think about what happens when you don’t prioritise yourself for even 10 minutes. Do you feel more stressed, more grouchy, less energetic?

When you take care of your own wellbeing, you feel more regulated, energised, and supported, and it benefits everyone around you too.

Taking a short walk outdoors to refresh the mind

Consistency is Queen

Long workouts can feel unrealistic and often unsustainable in midlife. Ten minutes, done regularly, builds confidence, habit, and trust with your body. It’s easier to show up when the bar is low and the intention is kind.

Easy ways to find your 10 minutes, no special clothes, no prep, no pressure:

• Walking while making a phone call

• Gentle stretching before bed

• A short walk after meals

• Mobility exercises while watching TV

• Dancing in the kitchen or living room

• A slow morning routine before the house wakes up

If you want more ideas, I’ve developed a resource of 50 ideas for ways to get more movement in your life. Just let me know if you want a copy and I’ll send it straight to your inbox. You might be surprised about how many of these things you are already doing and hadn’t really thought about the fact you are moving your body!

The quiet power of showing up for yourself

At its heart, 10 minutes of movement is about sending yourself a message: I matter too. In a season of life where so much energy goes outward, these small moments of care can quietly transform how you feel, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

I know I have felt the benefits that movement and exercise give first hand. Exercising had a significant impact on improving my mental health many years ago, and continues to keep me happy and sane to this day. And I’ll always be an advocate for movement – no matter what your goal is. But I also believe that its so important to find movement you enjoy, movement that works with your life, movement that you look forward to rather than make excuses to avoid.