Why 10 Minutes Is Enough

We’re often told that getting active requires more time, more motivation or a better routine. In reality, what most of us need is just a place to start.

That’s the thinking behind Move For 10, a new challenge from the team at This Girl Can that encourages women to move for 10 minutes, 10 times over the course of a month. The movement itself is entirely up to you. Walk, dance, stretch, cycle, do a quick workout or kick a ball around with the kids. Every 10-minute session counts.

Is 10 minutes of movement really enough?

Two or three 10-minute sessions a week may not sound like much. In a world obsessed with big goals and dramatic transformations, it can seem almost too small to matter. But those ten minutes aren’t really the point. It’s 10 minutes to remind you how good it feels to step away from your screen, get some fresh air or simply move your body.

Habits aren’t usually built through grand plans. They’re built by repeating small actions until they become part of everyday life. By keeping the challenge achievable, Move For 10 makes it easier to show up consistently, especially on the days when motivation is in short supply.

Before long, those ten minutes start to feel less like something you have to make time for and more like something that naturally fits into your day. And that’s where lasting change often begins. It’s a refreshingly realistic approach, and one that fits perfectly with the spirit of our Get Real campaign.

We live in a culture that loves extremes. We’re surrounded by messages telling us to do more, achieve more and transform ourselves overnight. We’re addicted to our phones and when it comes to movement, that often translates into an all-or-nothing mindset. If we can’t commit to a full workout or a long walk, we convince ourselves there’s no point doing anything at all.

Most of us are juggling work, family, friends and an ever-growing list of things that need our attention. Waiting for the perfect time to get moving often means waiting forever.

That’s why smaller goals can be so powerful. Ten minutes feels achievable, even on a busy day. It removes the pressure and lowers the barrier to getting started. More importantly, it helps shift the focus away from performance and towards consistency.

The best habits aren’t always built through dramatic changes. They’re built through actions that are simple enough to repeat.

These moments might seem small, but they add up. They also help break up the routines that keep us stuck behind screens, at desks or scrolling on the sofa. The Get Real campaign is all about reconnecting with life beyond those habits and rediscovering the value of the real world around us.

Forget perfect. Focus on showing up.

The beauty of Move For 10 is that it recognises real life isn’t always predictable.

Some days you’ll have plenty of energy. Some days you’ll barely have ten minutes to spare. The challenge isn’t about doing everything perfectly. It’s about creating ten moments of movement across a month and noticing how they make you feel.

You might finish after ten minutes. You might decide to keep going. Either way, it counts, because building a habit isn’t about the occasional heroic effort. It’s about giving yourself permission to start, even when conditions aren’t perfect.

Ready to start?

If you’ve been waiting for the right time to move more, consider this your reality check.

Move for 10 minutes. Do it 10 times over a month. See where it takes you.

Join the Move For 10 challenge

Track your progress, discover activity ideas and celebrate every 10-minute session with the free Move For 10 tracker.