Why your wellness routine might be working against you

An Australian doctor has revealed the exact reason why you might not be quite as healthy as you think.

QUESTION: Hey Dr Zac,

Every day I wake up to wellness advice on TikTok telling me to get 8 hours of sleep, do 10k steps, meditate, journal, strength train, eat organic, drink 3L of water, avoid blue light, and practise gratitude. By the time I’ve ticked off all the “healthy” things I’m supposed to do … the day’s over and I haven’t done anything fun. Even your column, as much as I love it, gives me even more tasks that I need to add to my daily routine! Is this just what being healthy means now? Or is there a more realistic way to look after yourself without it becoming your whole personality? — Jess, 28, Albury

ANSWER: First of all—thank you. This might be the most relatable question I’ve received all year.

You’ve summed up a whole generation’s collective mental breakdown. Somewhere between celery juice, journaling by candlelight and daily cold plunges, “wellness” went from being about feeling good to being a full-time unpaid internship in self-optimisation. It’s exhausting.

Let me say this loud and clear: you don’t need to be perfect to be healthy. Wellness isn’t an achievement to unlock. It’s a messy, evolving balance between doing what’s good for your body, your mind, your bank account, and—crucially—your joy.

Experts are calling full-time commitment to health, “wellness perfectionism”. Picture: iStock

This ultra-structured, hyper-scheduled approach to self-care? It’s become what experts are calling “wellness perfectionism.” According to a 2023 paper in the Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, many young people are experiencing increased anxiety not because they’re not taking care of themselves, but because they feel like they’re never doing enough.

The 10-step morning routine is starting to look a lot like a to-do list for burnout.

Let’s blame the algorithm for a moment. Social media feeds us a conveyor belt of health advice in bite-sized, guilt-inducing doses: “If you’re not waking up at 5am and dry brushing while visualising abundance, do you even love yourself??” Its toxic positivity meets micro-influencing. And yes, while some of it comes from a good place, there’s also a whole industry profiting off you feeling like you’re never doing enough.

Many Australians are experiencing increasing anxiety because they feel like they’re never doing enough. Picture: iStock

But here’s a radical idea: health should support your life, not consume it.

A recent study in the Medical Journal of Australia confirmed what many of us already feel—that sustainable wellness practices are the ones that fit into your existing life without making you feel like a failure when you skip a day (or three). That means if you miss your 10k steps but spend the evening laughing with friends, you’re still doing something great for your wellbeing. Social connection, pleasure, and rest are as much a part of health as green smoothies.

Social connection, pleasure and rest are important sustainable wellness practices. Picture: iStock

Now don’t get me wrong—I’m all for healthy habits. I’m a doctor, I want people sleeping well, moving often and eating real food. But it’s got to be realistic. I like to follow what I call the “2 out of 3 rule”: pick two things each day that are good for your body or brain, and make peace with letting the rest slide. One day that might be a workout and a good night’s sleep. Another day it might be a walk and eating vegetables that weren’t fried. That’s still a win.

Dr Zac recommends the “2 out of 3 rule” – picking two things a day that are good for your body or brain. Picture: iStock

I once tried doing everything the “right” way for a week. I meal prepped. I meditated. I foam rolled like my life depended on it. By Friday, I was cranky, bored, and craving a pub schnitty. So I had one—with a beer—and felt better than I had all week. That’s healthy too.

So Jess, don’t let self-care become another way to punish yourself. Set boundaries around what advice you actually want to follow. Ditch the one-size-fits-all guru content. And if your “wellness” routine is making you feel less well, it might be time to swap breathwork for brunch and call it even.

Health isn’t a checklist. It’s a feeling. And if your routine isn’t making you feel free, energised, or even a little silly sometimes … it might be time to loosen the grip. Here’s to imperfect wellness—and a life that includes both broccoli and beer.

Cheers, to your health!

Dr Zac

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Dr Zac Turner is a medical practitioner specialising in preventative health and wellness. He has four health/medical degrees – Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery at the University of Sydney, Bachelor of Nursing at Central Queensland University, and Bachelor of Biomedical Science at the University of the Sunshine Coast. He is a registrar for the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine, and is completing a PhD in Biomedical Engineering (UNSW). Dr Zac is the medical director for his own holistic wellness medical clinics throughout Australia, Concierge Doctors.

Originally published as Why your wellness routine might be working against you