21 Songs for When You Just Want to Move a Little

Ever have one of those days when you kinda wanna work out but also kinda don’t? Good news: We’ve got a solution for that. The Just Enough Workout is the new four-week fitness program from SELF that offers you the chance to do just a little on days when you’re not quite in the mood, and just a little more on days when you’re ready to turn it up. Because here’s the thing: Regular movement has all kinds of wonderful mental and physical benefits—but an endless list of facts and figures often isn’t motivating when you’re trying to get up an hour earlier each morning to squeeze in a workout. What will make a routine stick? Finding something manageable that you actually enjoy. Once exercise becomes a habit you look forward to—rather than a grueling task designed to punish your body—you’re way more likely to just keep doing it. 

That’s the hope behind this series (and honestly, the intent behind every bit of fitness advice you see on SELF). The Just Enough Workout is all about rewarding yourself with a little bit of movement and carving out time in your packed schedule to stretch, lift, or jump around in a way that brings you joy. 

In our opinion, exercise always goes best when paired with the perfect playlist. This week’s lineup is stacked with up-tempo beats that will keep you moving, but in the spirit of doing “just enough,” these songs have a mellow edge that we hope you find equal parts relaxing and rejuvenating. Here you’ll find collaborations from Elton John and Dua Lipa, The Knocks and MUNA, plus lots of dance-friendly tunes from artists like Ella Henderson, Disclosure, The Chainsmokers, Cheat Codes, and more.

If you’re following along with the Just Enough Workout, each week you’ll do some interval-focused cardio, meaning you’ll have pushes of hard work followed by recovery periods. Although you can use a stopwatch to measure your intervals, we also provide a chance to let music be your guide. So why not pick a few songs from this playlist? Make sure you’ve signed up for the program so you get our newsletters with the daily routine, then turn up the volume on this playlist and dive right in.