You don't need more time to exercise, you just need to rethink your approach entirely.
If you’ve ever caught yourself saying, “I just don’t have time to work out”, you’re definitely not alone. Life is busy - crazy busy - and when something has to give, movement is often the first thing to fall off the list.
But Rochelle Moloney from Ride House in Northcote Point sees this all the time, and she believes we’ve got the priority order a little backwards.
Why movement is the first thing to go
“We live in a world that glorifies being busy. Somewhere along the way, taking time for yourself started to feel selfish and like it has to be ‘earned’. Add in full work schedules, family commitments, and the mental load most of us carry, and movement is usually the first thing to get dropped. The irony is, it’s often the very thing that would help us cope with everything else!”
It’s a familiar cycle — the busier we get, the more we feel like we can’t fit movement in… when actually, it’s the thing that would help us handle the busyness better.
Kim Harkness (left) and Rochelle Moloney from Ride House in Northcote Point on Auckland's North Shore.
Let’s talk about the guilt
If taking time out to exercise comes with a side of guilt, you’re not imagining it, but it might be time to rethink it.
“It’s so easy to fall into this trap when your attention is being pulled in multiple different directions. But taking time to move your body isn’t taking time away from the people or responsibilities you care about, it’s what makes you better equipped to show up for them. It’s also an investment in your future health and wellbeing.”
A simple shift in perspective, but a powerful one.
It’s not about how you look. It’s how you feel
While fitness is often framed around physical results, Rochelle is quick to point out the real benefits go much deeper.
“Movement is one of the most powerful mood-shifters there is. Even on the days you really don’t feel like it, you never regret it afterwards. When you’re getting out of your head and into your body, it can help the mental noise to quieten. For me, movement is not about how you look, it’s about how you feel, and that ripple effect touches everything. Your patience, your energy, your outlook and how you show up for yourself and others.”
It’s that mental reset that can quietly change the tone of your whole day.
You don’t need more time, you need a different approach
One of the biggest misconceptions? That it only “counts” if you have a full hour.
“Start small and stay consistent. You don’t need an hour-long session to make it count. Even 20 minutes done regularly is so much more powerful than the ‘perfect’ workout you never quite get around to. One of the biggest shifts you can make is diarising your movement at the very start of the week. Block it out like a meeting you simply cannot move. When it’s in the calendar, it stops being optional. Mix it up too: a home workout one day, a class another, a walk with a friend instead of a coffee or wine. Flexibility in how you move makes it far easier to stick to.”
Small, consistent, and realistic — that’s where the momentum builds.
The secret weapon: community
If motivation is the sticking point, you might not need more willpower - you might just need people.
“For me it’s huge and I think it’s underrated! There’s something about group fitness that removes a lot of the mental resistance. You just have to show up at the right time, and the energy of the room takes over. You feed off the people around you, the instructor is in your corner, and before you know it you’ve done something you might never have pushed yourself to do alone. And you always leave feeling more energised than when you walked in.”
Sometimes, showing up is the hardest part, and the rest takes care of itself.
“I’m too tired”
We’ve all been there. The day’s been long, your energy is low, and moving your body feels like the last thing you want to do.
Rochelle’s advice? Lower the bar.
“Start smaller than you think you need to. If the gym or a class feels like too much, do an online workout at home or head outside for a walk or a jog. If an hour feels impossible, do 15 minutes. The starting goal isn’t transformation, it’s just showing up and moving in the right direction. Once you start moving, something shifts and the tiredness that felt like a reason not to move often turns out to be the exact reason you needed to!
Finding a personal trainer that understands your goals or a group fitness class that you enjoy can also be super helpful when all the information out there seems too overwhelming!”
It’s less about doing it perfectly, and more about just getting started.
What it feels like to find your rhythm
And if you’re wondering what that looks like in practice, Rochelle sums it up perfectly when it comes to a session at Ride House:
“Expect to feel welcomed, energised and encouraged! Every session is a fun journey and a chance to tune out from the busyness of everyday life and challenge yourself both physically and mentally. The 45 minutes go faster than you’d think when you’re locked into the beat of the music, the movement and the cardio push. Our community is genuinely supportive and every class caters for all fitness levels and abilities. The beauty of Ride is that it’s a low-impact but high-intensity cardio workout that also strengthens your lower body and core. It’s the perfect complement to whatever else you love to do, whether that’s strength training, running, Pilates or sports.”
If you’ve been waiting for the perfect time, more energy, or a clearer schedule — this is your reminder that it doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing.
Start small. Keep it simple. And let how you feel be the reason you keep going.
