How many times have you set a health goal but then found that life just got in the way? You keep putting off the workout or the healthy meals or the doctor’s appointments because other things take priority. Or maybe you start out with good habits but fail to be consistent when you have a big project due at work, are traveling a lot, or have extra demands in your personal life that compete for your time and attention.
Insurance provider Aflac’s 2024 Wellness Matters Survey showed that younger Americans , despite being very focused on and their physical and mental health, are often complacent about their health care. It was found that 84% of millennials and 81% of Gen Z participants put off a health checkup or important screening beyond the recommended time frame, and many millennials reported that they had avoided essential health screenings altogether, such as pap smears (40%), STD screenings (32%), bloodwork (39%), and full-body skin cancer screenings (31%).
The study also revealed that most young people ( 70% of Gen Z and 66% of millennials), use urgent care or the emergency room for their health care needs instead of building a relationship with a doctor. Additionally, one in five Gen Z and millennials put off seeing their doctor even though they felt something was wrong (compared to 13% of Gen X and 11% of baby boomers participants).
Why it’s so hard to take care of our health needs
YouTube star “Doctor Mike” Varshavski, who recently teamed up with Aflac on their Wellness Matters campaign to encourage young people to develop better health habits says, “Life is stressful and maintaining healthy habits takes legitimate work. But it’s work that has the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to health impact.” One barrier that comes up, he shares, is the belief perpetuated that these practices take up too much time and energy and aren’t worth it compared to quick fixes. “These days there are so many false promises on social media for shortcuts on how to ‘get healthy’ or ‘live longer’ that it feels like doing the tedious work of eating healthy, sleeping the correct number of hours and exercising is no longer necessary.”
Brenna Larson, MS, RD, who is a Registered Dietitian at healthy meal and supplement service Factor says, “Many people face obstacles to maintaining healthy habits, whether they be psychological, environmental, and/or behavioral. One of the top reasons people give up on healthy habits is delayed gratification. Implementing new habits and reaching goals takes time! However, in a fast-paced society, many are looking for an immediate reward.”
She adds that setting overly ambitious goals or getting caught up in perfectionist tendencies instead of focusing on small, achievable steps can lead to burnout and frustration when you try to overhaul everything all at once, finding that the initial burst of motivation fades quickly. “This “all or nothing” mindset can derail progress when setbacks occur.”
Being overly busy can also make it challenging to prioritize healthy habits, Larson adds, especially if those healthy habits are perceived as being time-consuming. A lack of support from friends, family, and colleagues or being surrounded by those engaging in unhealthy behaviors may also make it more difficult to stick to positive habits.
When it comes to the issue of missing out on regular checkups, Dr. Varshavski says, it has a lot to do with the fact that “our current healthcare system does not support the field of primary care. We have a shortage of primary care physicians and that results in a shortage of appointment slots for wellness visits. So many times my patients describe scenarios where they are motivated to make a wellness appointment only to be turned away due to the provider not taking new patients or told that the next available appointment is months away.” Having difficulty scheduling appointments, figuring out transportation and taking time off work are other common reasons for putting off timely wellness visits and building long-term relationships with providers, he adds.This is what leads to people relying on urgent care facilities or emergency rooms for care, he explains, “and those facilities are not prepared to deliver preventive care. We are missing out on developing valuable lifelong health partnerships between doctor and patient. That continuity of care is missing and as a result we see worsening health outcomes.”
Dr. Will Cole is a leading functional medicine doctor, author, podcast and speaker who consults people around the globe, starting one of the first functional medicine telehealth centers in the world over a decade ago. He adds that it’s also about our environment, “The world we live in today makes it easy to prioritize convenience over wellness. From fast food to sedentary jobs, we’re constantly bombarded with options that take us further away from the healthy habits our bodies crave. On top of that, stress, burnout, and the pressures of everyday life can make it hard to focus on ourselves. We often approach wellness as a quick fix rather than a sustainable way of life.”
He adds that when people don’t experience immediate changes, they lose motivation. “But health is a process, not a race. Wellness is built through consistent, intentional choices over time, not overnight transformations.” Another big issue, Dr. Cole says, “is misinformation or confusion about where to start. With so much conflicting advice out there, it’s no surprise people feel overwhelmed.”
Making your health a priority
Dr. Cole encourages his patients to start small, especially if they feel like they have limited bandwidth for focusing on their health. “Preventive care doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Begin with one action at a time—whether it’s scheduling that overdue check-up, adding more nutrient-dense foods into your routine, or taking a short walk daily. These small, intentional choices add up and create a foundation for long-term health. The more you learn about how your body works and why these habits matter, the more empowered you’ll feel to make them part of your life. It’s all about honoring your body’s needs today for a healthier tomorrow.”
Wellness stacking (similar to “habit stacking”) is an approach that can be used to gradually build health-promoting routines. “Wellness stacking,” explains Larson, “is the practice of combining multiple wellness activities or habits into a cohesive routine to enhance overall well-being. Instead of focusing on one wellness practice at a time, wellness stacking integrates various practices, allowing them to complement and reinforce each other, which further promotes habit building. The goal is to create a holistic, efficient and personalized approach to your health and wellness that eventually becomes part of your daily routine.”
For example, in the morning, you could “stack” hydration onto your usual workout, or take a few moments for breathwork after you eat a healthy breakfast. Over time, your morning routine comes to include movement, hydration, healthy eating and mindfulness. In the evening, wellness stacking might look like preparing and enjoying a meal with a loved one, engaging in self-care before bed, gratitude journaling, and practicing basic sleep hygiene, All of these habits support your wellbeing in different ways, and grouping them together helps you build balanced routines around them.
Larson likes this method, she says, because it’s an approachable and sustainable way to build a healthy lifestyle and can help you be consistent with health-promoting habits even when you have a lot going on.
“Without good health you cannot have a good relationship, a good job, a funny hobby or just about anything else.” says Dr. Varshavski. He recommends finding the practitioners you need. “Friends and family often have first-hand experience and recommendations with local providers. Review sites can be good but having a personal connection goes further. Also, bringing a loved one to an appointment is valuable in helping retain information, advocating on your behalf, and holding you accountable to changes you aim to make.”
Keeping motivation stoked
Larson says “Building habits and sticking to them can be daunting, which is why it is important to embrace imperfection! Know that setbacks will happen and are a normal part of the process. If you miss a day, avoid negative self-talk and simply get back on track the next day. Identify potential obstacles and have a plan for dealing with them.” This can help you feel more resilient when challenges do come up.
If healthy eating is a big-picture goal for you, says Larson, start with low-lift changes like prepping a healthy breakfast ahead of time or embracing healthy shortcuts. If “exercise more” has been a goal for you for a few years now, take a look at whether you’re actually doing workouts that you enjoy in the first place.
Dr. Cole adds, “A big mindset shift is moving from a reactive to a proactive approach to health. Instead of waiting for something to go wrong, view wellness as an opportunity to stay strong, energized, and resilient. Another key motivator is understanding your why. Whether it’s to feel better, perform better, or live a longer, healthier life—keeping that purpose in mind can drive you to stay consistent. Lastly, community is crucial. Surround yourself with people who inspire and support your wellness goals. Accountability can make all the difference.”
He also adds that wellness isn’t about reaching some final destination, “but rather, embracing the journey of continually supporting your body and mind. By educating yourself, practicing self-compassion and making conscious choices each day, you’re building a foundation for lasting health. You deserve to invest in your well-being.”
And if you have a tendency to wait to take action until you feel motivated to do so, Dr. Varshavski says, “There is a common and inaccurate preconceived notion that motivation comes before effort. The reality is that taking a small action even when you might not feel like it can lead to useful motivation. Motivation follows action!”