Looking for easy ways to move more — even when exercise feels impossible?
These 65 fun Non-Exercise Movement ideas help you sit less, boost energy, and improve well-being through simple daily actions. Perfect if you live with pain, fatigue, or mobility challenges, or just want to break up long sitting hours.
Gentle movement really adds up — and pairs perfectly with the 28-Day Gentle Movement Challenge.

Do you sit for long periods of time?
Wish you could move more, even when exercise isn’t possible?

You’re in the right place! 💛

This post is packed with 65 fun, easy Non-Exercise Movement ideas to help you sit less, feel better, and even burn extra calories — all without doing a formal workout.

If you live with chronic pain, fatigue, mobility limits, or simply spend many hours sitting (think office work, driving, or studying), these small movements can make a big difference to your well-being.

I created this list to go alongside the 28-Day Gentle Movement Challenge — a self-care reset designed around the benefits of gentle, everyday movement (known as NEAT, or Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis).

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🌿 Why Non-Exercise Movement Matters

You’ve probably noticed that some people just can’t sit still — they’re always fidgeting, stretching, or getting up to do something.
It turns out, all those little movements add up!

One study found up to a 2,000-calorie difference per day between two similar people — simply based on how active their daily movements were.

Now, weight loss isn’t the main goal of non-exercise movement (this is about wellness first), but knowing that small actions can gently support your metabolism is a great bonus — especially if intense workouts aren’t realistic right now.

We all know someone who just can’t sit still for very long, turns out all that fidgeting and jumping up to do something that could wait, makes a big difference to your NEAT movement.

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The Goal

The aim here is to:

• Sit less — try short 2–3 minute activity bursts every 30 minutes.
• Stay active — even on days when you have to sit for long periods.
• Move gently and consistently — to boost circulation, energy, and mood.

You’ll find 65 practical, enjoyable ideas below — grouped into five easy sections that match the 28-Day Non-Exercise Movement Challenge.

These ideas are simple enough to start today and might even inspire you to add more structured exercise later on (if and when you feel ready).

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💛 Reminder

You can revisit the Gentle Movement Reset: 28-Day Non-Exercise Movement Challenge anytime to plan your own self-care movement routine and track your progress.

Challenge 1 – Ideas to Fidget More this week

Not only will you burn calories, but fidgeting can relieve anxiety, boredom and help with changing bad habits.

Here are some ideas to get you started.

1. Tapping each finger 5 x
2. Fist-pump in the air each side 10 x
3. Tapping toes each foot 10 x (sitting or standing)
4. Tapping toes both feet 10 x (sitting or standing)
5. Bouncing heels each foot 10 x
6. Bouncing heels both feet 10 x
7. Hand circles – rotate wrists and fingers 10 x both directions
8. Knitting or crochet
9. Sketching or colouring
10. Adult fidget toy – Shashibo
11. Adult fidget Spinner 

Challenge 2 – Ideas of how to Stand more this week

The benefits of standing more include improved posture, back-pain, circulation and cardiovascular (heart) health, insulin levels (sugar) and boosts focus and concentration. 

Calories burned between standing-still and sitting were not significant although when you stand for periods of time you are more likely to keep adjusting your posture (fidget). 

Here are some ideas of how you can stand more this week

12. Stand while on the phone.
13. Stand at the kitchen counter when using electrical devices.
14. Stand while ‘crafting’.
15. Stand in front of the TV or Youtube
16. Stand doing chores around the home – sprinkle them throughout the day
17. Stand and take a ‘power pose’ or mountain pose
18. Stand for 5-minute meditate or listen to short guided visualisation
19. Stand and perform breathing exercises 
20. Standing desk – if you work from home this is a great investment.

Challenge 3 – Active sitting Ideas 

Active or dynamic sitting is where you include frequent micro movements while sitting for long periods of time. 

The benefits include improved posture (back, neck, shoulder pain), core-strength and circulation (cardiovascular/heart health).

Seated workouts are a very popular solution for those with restricted mobility or who need to sit for long periods for work. Full Seated-Workouts are classed as formal exercise (which you can also include) YouTube examples Here, here & here.

You can use these workouts for ideas to create micro 2-minute active sitting movements.

Active sitting (fidgeting while seated) burns extra calories (energy expenditure) and if you can move your legs while seated this increases by 20-30%

Here are 20 ideas to include for micro-active-sitting 

21. Seated arm rows
22. Overhead arm raises
23. Knee lifts
24. Knee extensions
25. Seated chair march
26. Arm swings
27. Arm reaches
28. Toe taps
29. Seated cat cow stretch
30. Chair forward bend
31. Chair spinal twist
32. Neck stretches
33. Seated Eagle arms Seated bent over rows
34. Seated shoulder press
35. Seated bicep curls
36. Seated triceps extensions 
37. Rocking Foot stool such as HERE
38. Under-desk-pedal-bike – Try This.
39. Office ball chair example Here
40. Saddle chair

“It’s 100% free—no strings attached.”

Challenge 4 – Ideas to Include More Calf Raises

Calf raises not only burn calories but also strengthen calf muscles which improve lower body function, improve stability and reduce risk to sprains and strains.

Calf-raises also support the ankle and knees.

These can be done seated or standing, on a step and with dumb-bells. 

Remember the Non-Exercise goal is micro 2-minute sessions throughout the day.

Read or watch BELOW how to perform calf raises

How to do simple calf raises

• Sit or stand with both feet on a flat surface with your toes pointed straight ahead.
• Lift one or both heels off the floor to flex your calf muscle.
• Pause for moment, then slowly return to the floor. That’s one rep.

Here are Calf-Raise Variations and Ideas

41. Lifting both heels together
42. Lifting one calf at a time (alternate)
43. Turn feet inward slightly
44. Turn feet outward slightly 
45. Add light weights while you perform calf raises
46. Use a low step to create more of a stretch.

Challenge 5 – Increase daily walking, bending, stretching, twisting.

These are the well-known examples of NEAT movement. The little every day activities and tweaks you can make to gently increase your movement without formal exercise to burn more calories and boost your well-being.

How many of the following ideas can you include today?

47. Pace when you take a phone call.
48. Park further away so you walk more steps.
49. Identify where you could stand more in your normal day.
50.  Housework counts as NEAT – can you increase your daily cleaning activity? How many 5-minute chores can you complete in a day?
51.  Walk with friends and family
52. Walk the dog
53. Clean the car
54. Gardening counts as NEAT – how many 5-minute jobs can you complete today?
55. Cooking and clearing up counts as NEAT
56. Walk whenever you have the choice
57. Having a shower counts as NEAT
58. Dancing 
59. Spending time with kids
60. Getting up and making a drink
61.  Warm-up movements from a workout
62. Squats
63. Arm swings
64. Stretch while watching tv
65. Take the stairs whenever you can

Summary

Whew well done you made it to the end! So that wraps up my 65 Fun Non-Exercise Movements Ideas to inspire you to take the Challenge HERE

You’ve already started thinking about how to care for your body’s everyday needs — why not make it easier to stay consistent? The toolkit shows you exactly where to start

Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit

Turn inspiration into action — with a simple system that helps self-care finally work with your body, not against it.

If you’ve been reading along and thinking, “I’d love to try this myself one day…” — you don’t have to wait, or wonder where to start.

The Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit gives you the gentle structure to make your first challenge easy, personal, and effective.
It’s the same step-by-step approach I use when following the challenges alongside you — so you’ll feel supported every step of the way.

Inside, you’ll find:
🌿 A gentle Before Assessment to pinpoint what your body truly needs — so you can stop guessing and start seeing real results
🌿 Step-by-step guidance (plus short video walkthroughs) to choose the right self-care challenge for your needs — and actually complete it.
🌿 Printable planners, reflections, and trackers to help you stay consistent
🌿 Access to our private community (coming soon!) — for gentle accountability and encouragement

You’ll also receive:
💌 Weekly self-care reminders, new challenges, and encouragement in the Make Self-Care Simple newsletter
🪴 Access to our free private community — where women share progress, celebrate wins, and remind each other we’re not alone

👉 Send Me My Free Toolkit

(Part of the Practical Self-Care Pathway — build habits that support your body’s natural balance.)

“Instant access—start your challenge today.”