Triage Ultimate Health Habits Assessment
Your Results
All Habits Ranked (Lowest First)
If you’ve ever tried to “get healthy,” you’ve probably started with one or two specific habits. Maybe you hit the gym hard. Maybe you cleaned up your diet. Maybe you swore you’d finally get eight hours of sleep every night. And those are all great steps, the truth I’ve learned from coaching people for years is that no single habit will ever lead to robust overall health. It isn’t an à la carte menu, you kind of need to be working on things from every direction.
Real wellbeing comes from the system working well as a whole. It’s the way your diet, exercise, sleep, stress management, and lifestyle choices all fit together. Miss one piece of the puzzle, and your progress may stall or you may not achieve the results you desire. But tick the boxes with everything all together, and you will perform better, feel better, and more than likely experience robust health.
That’s why I created the Triage Ultimate Health Habits Assessment Quiz. This isn’t just another checklist that asks if you’re eating your veggies or doing some cardio. It’s a comprehensive self-assessment designed to help you see the full picture of your health habits. It helps you to see the areas you’re already doing well, and the blind spots that might be holding you back.
By the end of this assessment, you’ll understand the framework I use with clients, how to score yourself across all the key domains, and, most importantly, how to decide what to focus on next. Because if you know where the gaps are, you can make targeted improvements that actually lead to results.
However, be aware that the goal here isn’t perfection. The goal is awareness and action. If you’re doing most of the habits in this quiz, you’re already building a strong foundation for robust, resilient health. If you discover some weak spots, that shouldn’t be seen as a failure, it’s an opportunity. This tool will help you figure out exactly where to start.
Why a Comprehensive Health Habits Assessment?
I’ve worked with clients who train like athletes but fuel themselves with fast food and energy drinks. Others eat a near-perfect diet but sleep five hours a night and wonder why they feel constantly run down. I’ve also seen people who meditate daily and manage stress beautifully, but haven’t moved their bodies in years. The result is almost always that they don’t experience the robust health outcomes that they desire.
The reality is that health is multi-dimensional. You can’t separate diet from exercise, or sleep from stress, or mental wellbeing from physical health, etc. They’re all connected. Stress hormones can wreck your sleep, poor sleep can drive cravings and overeating, and inadequate nutrition can sap your energy for training, and so on. On the flip side, when these areas support each other, you create a lot of positive momentum. Better sleep drives better food choices, good nutrition fuels stronger workouts, regular activity helps regulate stress, and on and on it goes.
This is why we need a holistic framework. Think of it in two layers:
- Foundational health: This is the basics that prevent illness and keep your body functioning well. It is stuff like eating a nutrient-rich diet, moving regularly, sleeping consistently, managing stress, and avoiding harmful habits like smoking.
- Flourishing health: This is the layer that helps you thrive, not just survive. It is about building meaningful relationships, finding purpose, experiencing joy, awe, and play.
Most people focus only on some components of the first layer. But if you stop there, you’re missing out on what it truly means to live well. This comprehensive assessment shines a light on both and helps you identify risks that could undermine your long-term health and highlights opportunities to build a life that feels full, balanced, and energised.
That’s the reason this assessment covers more than just diet and exercise. It’s designed to give you the same big-picture view I use with clients.
How the Assessment Works
So how does this all come together in practice? The Triage Ultimate Health Habits Assessment Quiz is structured to give you a clear, honest picture of your current habits. It helps you identify where you’re solid, where you’ve got room to grow, and where you may need to pay more urgent attention.
We break it down into six domains that cover the full spectrum of health:
- Diet: What and how you eat, from protein intake to hydration and food quality.
- Exercise: This is your resistance training, cardio, daily movement, consistency and enjoyment.
- Sleep: How long you sleep, the quality, your routines, and environment.
- Stress Management: This covers your systems for handling pressure, maintaining boundaries, and avoiding unhealthy coping strategies.
- Other Health & Lifestyle Habits: This section covers your oral health, check-ups, safety, sun protection, digital wellbeing, financial security, and much more.
- Flourishing-Oriented Habits: This is the “thriving” side of health: joy, gratitude, awe, relationships, creativity, and meaning.
Each domain is made up of specific, evidence-based questions that you’ll answer using a 5-point frequency scale:
- Never (0 points)
- Rarely (1 point)
- Sometimes (2 points)
- Often (3 points)
- Always (4 points)
Once you’ve worked through the questions, your answers are added up within each domain to give you a percentage score. This will be displayed in a nice visual, so you can actually see where you are doing well, and where needs work. You’ll also get traffic light feedback to show where you stand:
- Green (80–100%) → This area is a strong point. Keep doing what you’re doing.
- Amber (60–79%) → You’ve got a decent foundation here, but there’s room for growth.
- Red (<60%) → This is a priority area, and small changes here could make a big difference to your overall wellbeing.
Now, your results don’t just give you an overall score, they also show your individual answers in order, from lowest to highest. This way, you can immediately spot your weakest habits.
Ultimately, by the end, you’ll have a personalised snapshot of your health landscape. Once you see where you’re thriving and where you’re struggling, you’ll know exactly where to focus your energy to get the biggest return on your efforts.
The Six Domains in Detail
Now let’s break down each of the six domains, so you can see exactly what this assessment covers and why each area matters.
1. Diet
The diet section is not just looking at whether you “eat healthy” in a vague sense. No, we’re looking at the essentials that truly move the needle. Are you hitting your protein needs, getting enough healthy fats, managing calories for a healthy body composition, and eating plenty of whole, minimally processed foods? Are you limiting ultra-processed foods, added sugars, and excess alcohol? Are you hydrated, and are you eating a wide range of colourful fruits and vegetables for vitamins, minerals, and fibre?
The goal isn’t perfection, but consistency. You need your diet to support your performance, recovery, and long-term health. If you can nail this, everything else becomes easier.
2. Exercise
Exercise is more than just “working out.” We assess whether you’re building strength through resistance training, supporting your heart and lungs with cardio, and staying active throughout the day with steps and movement. Just as important: do you enjoy your training, and is it something you can sustain for the long haul?
Consistency beats intensity when it comes to lifelong health. We also check if you’re progressing your training, because doing the same thing forever will eventually stall results.
3. Sleep
Sleep is the performance enhancer we all know we should be paying more attention to. You can eat perfectly and train hard, but if you’re not getting quality sleep, your body and brain will never fully recover. This section looks at duration (7-9 hours most nights), consistency (regular bed and wake times), and your sleep environment (cool, dark, quiet). We also consider habits like avoiding caffeine too close to bed, winding down with a routine, and getting morning light exposure to set your circadian rhythm.
Quality sleep doesn’t just restore you, it multiplies the benefits of diet and exercise, and drastically improves your quality of life.
4. Stress Management
Stress is unavoidable. What matters is how you manage it. Do you have reliable systems (like journaling, mindfulness, prayer, or breathwork) that help you decompress? Are you setting healthy boundaries between work and personal life, or are you “always on”? Do you rely on movement, hobbies, or social support to handle pressure, or do you slip into maladaptive habits like doom-scrolling, overeating, or excessive drinking?
This domain is about ensuring that you are using the right tools to handle both everyday stress and those inevitable curveballs life throws at you.
5. Other Health & Lifestyle Habits
This is the most overlooked but arguably one of the most important sections. It covers everything from dental hygiene and skin protection to medical check-ups, safe sex, home safety, and digital wellbeing.
It even includes finances, because money stress directly impacts health outcomes, from mental well-being to access to nutritious food and medical care. I’ve been poor before, and I can tell you that knowing that improving your financial situation is part of improving your health is important to know. I know some people don’t like to discuss it because it can seem unfair, but pretending it doesn’t matter helps no one.
This domain also asks whether you’re protecting your hearing, managing screen time, using seatbelts and helmets, and keeping your home safe. These may not sound as “sexy” as training splits or protein shakes, but they matter just as much in the real world.
6. Flourishing-Oriented Habits
Finally, we look at what most assessments completely ignore, which is your capacity to thrive. Do you regularly experience joy, laughter, or awe? Do you nurture relationships, express gratitude, and find meaning or purpose in your life? Do you make time for play, fun, or creativity? Research is clear that people who flourish in these ways have better mental and physical health, lower risk of disease, and longer lives.
Health isn’t just about avoiding illness, it’s about actually living well. Nobody wants to die young because of SLS (“shit life syndrome”) or because they weren’t actively engaging in habits that led to the enjoyment of life.
A quick note: You’ll notice we didn’t pack this assessment with stuff like red light therapy, cryotherapy, or sauna sessions. Those can have benefits, but they’re minor compared to the big rocks. A sauna might make you sweat, get your heart rate up and feel good, but it’s basically cardio without all the benefits of cardio. Until you’ve got the fundamentals nailed, spending time and money chasing fringe therapies is just a distraction. Don’t major in the minors. Master the basics first, as the pay-off is far greater.
Full Breakdown: Each Question and Why It Matters
Below you’ll find every question from the assessment, along with an explanation of why that habit is important and what benefits you can expect if you work on it.
Diet Habits
| Question | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
Are you eating a calorie-appropriate diet (one that keeps you within a healthy body composition and fuels your everyday performance)? | Energy balance is the foundation of nutrition. Eating too many calories leads to excess fat gain, higher risk of insulin resistance, heart disease, and joint stress. Eating too few calories can leave you fatigued, suppress hormones, weaken immunity, and cause nutrient deficiencies. A calorie-appropriate intake supports stable body weight, healthy body composition, and enough energy for training, work, and daily life. |
| Are you consuming sufficient protein (1.5-2.5g/kg body weight)? | Protein is critical for building and maintaining lean muscle, supporting recovery from training, and preserving muscle mass as you age. It also improves satiety, making it easier to manage appetite, and stabilises blood sugar by slowing digestion. Adequate protein helps protect against age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia), supports bone health, and aids wound healing and immune function. |
| Are you eating sufficient dietary fat (~0.6g/kg)? | Dietary fat isn’t the enemy, it’s essential. It plays a vital role in hormone production (including testosterone and estrogen), brain function, and nerve health. Fats are also necessary for absorbing fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) and provide a dense energy source. Undereating fat can impair hormones, fertility, mood, and energy, while a balanced intake supports overall health and performance. |
| Are you consuming less than 10% of the diet as saturated fat? | Saturated fat isn’t inherently “bad,” but high intakes are linked to increased LDL cholesterol and higher cardiovascular risk. Balancing saturated fats with unsaturated fats (from nuts, seeds, olive oil, fatty fish) supports heart health, improves cholesterol profiles, and lowers inflammation. Keeping saturated fat <10% of total calories is a widely recommended guideline for reducing disease risk. |
| Are you regularly consuming foods rich in omega-3s? | Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA from fish, ALA from plants) are anti-inflammatory and support cardiovascular health, brain function, and joint mobility. They’ve been shown to improve mood, reduce risk of depression, and aid recovery from exercise. |
| Are you consuming a mostly whole foods, minimally processed diet? | Whole foods (vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds) are naturally rich in fibre, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. They provide stable energy, support healthy digestion, and reduce chronic disease risk. In contrast, heavily processed foods are often calorie-dense but nutrient-poor, and can drive overeating due to low satiety. A mostly whole-foods diet builds the foundation for long-term health. |
| Are you limiting ultra-processed foods and added sugars? | Diets high in ultra-processed foods are strongly linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, and heart disease. Added sugars spike blood glucose, leading to crashes, cravings, and over time, insulin resistance. While occasional treats are fine, keeping these foods limited helps regulate appetite, stabilise energy, and reduce chronic disease risk. |
| Are you consuming multiple fruits and vegetables daily (ideally 5+)? | Each colour of fruit and vegetable provides different antioxidants and phytonutrients that support health. For example, greens provide folate and magnesium, oranges provide vitamin C and carotenoids, purples provide polyphenols. Eating a wide variety lowers the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive decline, while also improving gut health and immune function. |
| Are you consuming 10–15g fibre per 1000 calories? | Fibre is crucial for digestive health, feeding beneficial gut bacteria, and supporting a healthy microbiome. It helps regulate bowel movements, improves cholesterol, slows digestion (better blood sugar control), and promotes satiety. Most people under-consume fibre, but hitting 10-15g per 1000 kcal (e.g., 25-40g for most adults) dramatically lowers the risk of heart disease and colon cancer. |
| Are you eating at a pace that allows you to recognise satiety cues? | Eating quickly overrides the body’s natural fullness signals, leading to overeating. Slowing down allows hormones like peptide YY (PYY), and GLP-1 to signal satiety. It also improves digestion, reduces bloating, and makes meals more enjoyable. Mindful eating is a simple but powerful way to naturally regulate calorie intake without strict dieting. |
| Are you trying to make good food choices without obsessing? | Rigidity around food often backfires, leading to guilt, anxiety, or binge-restrict cycles. Dietary flexibility (aiming to make good choices most of the time while allowing occasional indulgence) supports long-term adherence and a healthier relationship with food. This balance reduces stress, prevents disordered eating patterns, and makes nutrition sustainable. |
| Do you have a diet system you enjoy without being neurotic? | There’s no “one best diet”. The best plan is one you can enjoy and stick with. Whether that’s Mediterranean, plant-based, or flexible dieting, sustainability matters more than perfection. Overly neurotic or restrictive systems lead to burnout and yo-yo dieting. Enjoyment and flexibility ensure you’ll keep going for years, not weeks. |
| Are you minimising alcohol consumption? | Alcohol provides empty calories, disrupts sleep, and increases risk of liver disease, cancer, cardiovascular issues, and weight gain. Even small amounts impair recovery from training and reduce your day to day quality of life. While moderate intake can be accommodated, minimising alcohol, or cutting it altogether, removes a major barrier to optimal health. |
| Are you staying adequately hydrated? | Water is essential for nearly every body function: regulating temperature, supporting digestion, transporting nutrients, and maintaining cognitive performance. Even mild dehydration can reduce energy, impair concentration, and lower physical performance. Aiming for light-coloured urine is a practical hydration marker. |
| Are you limiting sugar-sweetened beverages? | Drinks like soda, sweetened coffee drinks, and energy drinks are the leading source of added sugars. They provide large calorie loads with no satiety, driving weight gain and increasing risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Swapping them for water, sparkling water, or unsweetened alternatives is one of the simplest health upgrades you can make. |
Exercise Habits
| Question | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Are you doing resistance training 2-4 times per week? | Resistance training is the single most effective way to build and maintain muscle mass, which protects against age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia). It also strengthens bones, reducing the risk of osteoporosis, and improves metabolic health by increasing insulin sensitivity and resting metabolic rate. It enhances functional strength for daily tasks, reduces injury risk, and supports long-term independence as you age. Resistance training 2-4 times weekly generally provides enough stimulus without overwhelming recovery. |
| Are you doing at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous activity weekly? | Cardiovascular activity supports heart and lung health, improves circulation, and lowers the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and many cancers. It also boosts energy, mood, and mental clarity by improving blood flow to the brain and releasing endorphins. Meeting these guidelines is consistently linked to lower mortality and better quality of life. Vigorous exercise can provide the same benefits in half the time, making it a flexible option. |
| Are you reducing time spent sitting and breaking up long sedentary periods? | Long, uninterrupted sitting impairs circulation, reduces insulin sensitivity, and increases the risk of metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and even premature death. It also contributes to poor posture, back pain, and stiffness. Breaking up sitting with brief bouts of standing, walking, or stretching helps maintain joint mobility, supports blood flow, and protects metabolic health. Even small movements like standing every 30-60 minutes can add up. |
| Are you getting at least 7,000 steps per day? | Step count is a simple but powerful measure of daily activity. Research shows that ~7,000 steps per day is strongly associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality. Walking supports cardiovascular fitness, fat metabolism, mobility, and mental well-being. It’s accessible, low-impact, and sustainable for nearly everyone. While more steps can bring additional benefits, 7,000 provides a practical, realistic baseline for most people. |
| Are you engaging in activity you enjoy and can sustain long-term? | Consistency is the most important factor in exercise success. If you hate your workouts, you won’t stick with them. Enjoyment fosters adherence, making movement a regular, positive part of your life instead of a chore. Whether it’s lifting, running, dancing, cycling, or sports, the “best” form of exercise is the one you’ll keep doing for years. You need to make it a part of your lifestyle. |
| Are you gradually progressing your training? | Without progression, the body adapts and plateaus. Progressive overload (such as gradually increasing weight, reps, sets, or intensity) ensures continuous improvement in strength, endurance, and fitness. It also builds resilience, reducing injury risk, because the body adapts step by step. Progression doesn’t have to mean constant heavy lifting, it can be as simple as walking farther, lifting slightly more, or improving form over time. This steady growth is what keeps results moving forward. |
Sleep Habits
| Question | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Are you consistently getting 7-9 hours per night? | Sleep is the body’s most powerful recovery tool. During deep and REM sleep, your body repairs tissues, consolidates memory, balances hormones, and strengthens the immune system. Chronic sleep deprivation (<6 hours) is linked to weight gain, insulin resistance, weakened immunity, poor focus, and a higher risk of heart disease. Consistently hitting 7-9 hours gives your brain and body the recovery they need to perform at their best. |
| Are you consistent with sleep/wake times? | Going to bed and waking up at similar times strengthens your circadian rhythm (the body’s internal clock). A stable rhythm makes it easier to fall asleep, improves sleep quality, and increases morning alertness. Irregular schedules (e.g., staying up late on weekends, then waking early on weekdays) create “social jetlag,” which impairs energy, mood, and metabolic health. Consistency locks in better sleep. |
| Do you have a reliable wind-down routine? | Stress and mental stimulation can keep your brain in “on” mode at night. A calming pre-sleep routine, like reading, stretching, journaling, or breathwork, signals the nervous system to shift into rest mode. This helps you fall asleep faster, lowers nighttime awakenings, and reduces stress carried into the next day. Without a routine, you risk lying in bed wired, even if you’re physically tired. |
| Are you avoiding bright screens before bed? | Phones, tablets, and TVs emit blue light, which suppresses melatonin (the hormone that tells your body it’s time to sleep). Using screens before bed delays sleep onset, shortens sleep duration, and reduces sleep quality. Even dim light can shift your body clock. Limiting screens (or using blue-light filters/dimming) in the hour before bed helps your brain produce melatonin and transition smoothly into sleep. |
| Are you avoiding alcohol before bed? | Alcohol may make you drowsy, but it fragments sleep architecture. It suppresses REM sleep (critical for memory and learning), increases nighttime awakenings, and disrupts deep restorative sleep. Even moderate drinking reduces recovery and leaves you feeling groggy the next day. Avoiding alcohol before bed supports better brain function, mood, and physical performance. |
| Do you keep caffeine 8–10 hours away from bedtime? | Caffeine blocks adenosine, the chemical that builds up sleep pressure during the day. Even if you “feel fine” after late caffeine, it still lingers in your system (half-life ~5-8 hours) and can reduce deep sleep by 20-30%. Keeping caffeine earlier in the day prevents delayed sleep onset and improves sleep depth and recovery. |
| Is your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet? | Sleep environment is one of the strongest predictors of quality. A cool room (16-19°C / 60-67°F) helps the body lower core temperature, a natural signal for sleep. Darkness promotes melatonin release, while noise reduction prevents micro-awakenings that impair deep sleep. Optimising the environment is a simple, high-impact change for better sleep. |
| Do you get natural morning light exposure? | Exposure to natural light within 30-60 minutes of waking helps anchor your circadian rhythm. It boosts morning alertness, regulates cortisol (your “get up and go” hormone), and sets your internal clock for easier sleep at night. Missing morning light exposure (especially if you work indoors) can leave your rhythm drifting, making it harder to feel awake by day and sleepy at night. |
| Are you limiting long or late naps? | Napping can be helpful if short and timed early (~20-30 minutes, before mid-afternoon). But long or late naps reduce sleep pressure, making it harder to fall asleep at night and disrupting circadian rhythm. Poorly timed naps can worsen insomnia and fragment nighttime sleep. Keeping naps short and early helps preserve healthy nighttime sleep. |
Stress Management Habits
| Question | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Do you have a system for stress management? | Stress is inevitable, but unmanaged stress compounds into chronic high cortisol, poor sleep, elevated blood pressure, and suppressed immunity. Having a proactive system (such as a routine for relaxation, time management, or structured problem-solving) prevents stress from silently eroding health. |
| Do you have a regular practice (mindfulness, journaling, etc.)? | Regular stress-management practices like meditation, journaling, breathwork, or prayer activate the parasympathetic nervous system (“rest and digest”), lowering cortisol and heart rate. Over time, these habits build resilience, meaning you recover faster from stress and feel calmer under pressure. Daily or weekly practice compounds benefits, just like training for fitness. |
| Do you engage in hobbies or leisure activities? | Hobbies and play provide mental recovery from the demands of work and life. Creative or enjoyable activities lower stress hormones, improve mood, and increase life satisfaction. Without leisure, burnout accumulates, motivation declines, and mental health suffers. Prioritising fun is not indulgent, it’s protective for long-term health. |
| Do you have supportive social connections? | Strong relationships buffer stress responses, lower risk of depression, and even reduce all-cause mortality. Talking through challenges with friends, family, or colleagues provides perspective and emotional release. Isolation, by contrast, increases stress load and risk of chronic illness. Human connection is one of the most powerful “stress medicines” available. |
| Do you use physical activity to manage stress? | Exercise is one of the fastest and most effective stress relievers. It lowers cortisol, releases endorphins, and improves mood regulation. Regular activity also improves sleep and resilience to daily stressors. People who move regularly tend to cope better with pressure, while inactivity leaves stress hormones unchecked. |
| Can you recognise when you’re stressed and act on it? | Awareness is the first step to change. If you don’t notice tension, irritability, or fatigue building up, stress quietly damages health. Recognising stress allows you to use coping strategies before it escalates into burnout, illness, or maladaptive behaviours. It’s like spotting smoke before the fire spreads. |
| Do you maintain healthy boundaries between work and life? | Without boundaries, work and stress bleed into every hour of the day, preventing true rest. Over time, this leads to chronic stress, poor sleep, reduced productivity, and eventual burnout. Healthy boundaries—like defined work hours or digital cut-offs—protect recovery time and preserve mental health. |
| Do you have constructive strategies for acute stress? | Acute stressors (conflicts, emergencies, unexpected problems, etc.) are unavoidable. What matters is whether you have constructive tools (e.g., problem-solving, breathing, taking a pause) rather than destructive reactions (anger, avoidance, panic). Constructive strategies reduce the intensity and duration of stress, helping you recover faster. |
| Do you avoid maladaptive coping (alcohol, overeating, doom-scrolling)? | Many people “cope” with stress in ways that actually worsen health: overeating, excessive drinking, smoking, or numbing with endless scrolling. These behaviours may bring temporary relief, but they increase long-term stress, harm physical health, and create new problems (e.g., weight gain, poor sleep, addiction). Avoiding maladaptive coping preserves energy for healthier strategies. |
General Health & Lifestyle Habits
| Question | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
Do you avoid smoking and recreational drug use? | Smoking and drug use are among the top preventable causes of disease worldwide. Smoking damages nearly every organ, increasing risk of cancer, heart disease, and lung disease. Recreational drugs can impair brain health, organ function, and long-term well-being. Avoiding them is one of the highest-impact health choices you can make. |
| Do you limit alcohol consumption? | Alcohol is directly linked to a higher risk of cancer, liver disease, and cardiovascular problems. Even moderate drinking can impair sleep, recovery, and weight management. Limiting intake, or avoiding it altogether, reduces disease risk and improves energy, focus, and resilience. |
| Do you brush your teeth twice daily? | Oral hygiene isn’t just cosmetic, it’s linked to systemic health. Poor brushing habits allow plaque and bacteria to build up, increasing the risk of gum disease, which is associated with heart disease, diabetes, and systemic inflammation. Brushing twice daily (ideally for at least 2 minutes each time) is a simple, powerful prevention habit. |
| Do you floss once daily? | Flossing cleans where brushing can’t, preventing gum disease, tooth decay, and inflammation. Gum disease has been linked to a higher risk of heart disease and poor blood sugar control. Flossing daily supports both oral and overall health. |
| Do you attend regular dental check-ups? | Small dental issues like cavities or gum inflammation can progress silently into major problems. Regular check-ups catch issues early, prevent pain, and save on bigger interventions later. Oral health is also tied to confidence, eating ability, and quality of life. |
| Do you get periodic eye and hearing checks? | Vision and hearing naturally decline with age, often so gradually that you don’t notice until it’s advanced. Early detection preserves function and prevents accidents, isolation, or loss of independence. Regular checks improve long-term quality of life. |
| Do you protect your skin with sunscreen? | Skin cancer is one of the most common, and preventable, cancers. UV exposure also accelerates skin aging. Sunscreen significantly reduces these risks while protecting skin health. It’s a small daily habit with big long-term benefits. |
| Do you perform skin self-checks and monitor moles? | Most skin cancers are treatable if caught early. Checking your skin regularly and monitoring moles for changes allows for early intervention, which can save lives. |
| Do you keep up with health check-ups? | Preventive screenings (like blood pressure, cholesterol, mammograms, and colonoscopies) catch issues before they become serious. Early detection means simpler, more effective treatment and a longer, healthier life. |
| Do you seek medical care when needed? | Ignoring symptoms or delaying care can turn small problems into chronic or life-threatening ones. Following treatment plans and seeking care promptly supports recovery and prevents complications. |
| Do you support your mental health proactively? | Mental well-being underpins every other area of health. Practices like therapy, journaling, or mindfulness strengthen resilience, reduce risk of anxiety and depression, and improve relationships and productivity. Proactive care keeps small stressors from becoming major issues. |
| Do you have meaningful emotional connections? | Strong social bonds are one of the most powerful predictors of longevity and happiness. Relationships buffer stress, reduce risk of depression, and even improve immune function. Lack of connection is as harmful to health as smoking or obesity. |
| Do you feel a sense of higher purpose? | Having purpose or meaning in life improves motivation, resilience under stress, and mental well-being. People with a sense of purpose are more likely to maintain healthy behaviours and enjoy longer, healthier lives. |
| Do you spend time in natural environments? | Exposure to nature reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, improves mood, and boosts immune function. It also promotes physical activity and provides perspective that supports mental clarity. |
| Do you get sunlight for vitamin D, while protecting against UV? | Vitamin D is essential for bone health, immune function, and metabolic health. Sunlight is the best natural source, but overexposure increases skin cancer risk. Balancing sun exposure with protection ensures benefits without harm. |
| Do you practice good hygiene? | Simple hygiene practices, like hand washing, prevent the spread of infections. They protect you and others, reduce sick days, and support long-term health. |
| Do you manage screen time and give your eyes breaks? | Excessive screen use contributes to eye strain, headaches, and poor posture. Regular breaks (e.g., the 20-20-20 rule) reduce fatigue and protect long-term eye health. |
| Do you use technology in a way that supports wellbeing? | Technology can be helpful, but unchecked use (especially doom-scrolling, late-night browsing, or consuming polarising content) harms sleep, mood, and mental health. Intentional use protects focus, relationships, and emotional well-being. |
| Do you protect your hearing from loud noise? | Prolonged noise exposure damages hearing permanently. Hearing loss increases risk of cognitive decline, depression, and social isolation. Protecting hearing with safe volume levels or ear protection preserves quality of life. |
| Do you manage finances to feel reasonably secure? | Financial stress is a major driver of anxiety, poor sleep, and even physical health problems. While income may not always be in your control, building financial habits (budgeting, saving) reduces stress and improves security, which supports overall well-being. |
| Are you pursuing learning/education? | Lifelong learning keeps the brain sharp, builds confidence, and supports career growth. It contributes to purpose and personal development, which improves both mental health and quality of life. |
| Do you use seatbelts, helmets, and safety equipment? | These simple, low-effort behaviours prevent serious injury or death in accidents. They’re a cornerstone of personal safety and long-term health preservation. |
| Do you keep your home environment safe? | Hazards like clutter, poor lighting, or unsafe storage of chemicals/medicines increase risk of accidents, especially as you age. A safe home reduces preventable injuries and supports independence. |
| Do you practice safe sex and get regular checkups? | Safe sex practices prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs), protect reproductive health, and ensure overall well-being. Regular checkups allow for early treatment and peace of mind. |
| Do you understand your contraceptive/family planning needs? | Being informed about contraception and family planning prevents unintended pregnancies and reduces stress. It supports reproductive autonomy and long-term life planning. |
Flourishing-Oriented Habits
| Question | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Do you do activities that bring joy or laughter? | Joy and laughter aren’t just “nice-to-haves”, they have measurable effects on health. Positive emotions reduce stress hormones, boost the immune system, and improve cardiovascular function. They also make life feel richer and more enjoyable, which increases motivation to sustain other healthy behaviours like exercise and good nutrition. |
| Do you practice gratitude/reflection? | Gratitude practices, like journaling or simply noting what went well each day, are linked to higher happiness, greater resilience, and lower rates of depression and anxiety. Reflection helps reframe challenges, shift focus toward positives, and strengthen relationships. These habits train the brain to notice opportunities instead of dwelling only on problems. |
| Do you pursue personal growth? | Learning new skills, expanding knowledge, or taking on self-development projects stimulates the brain, strengthens neural pathways, and provides a sense of progress. Growth prevents stagnation, builds confidence, and keeps life engaging. It also supports brain health across the lifespan, reducing risk of cognitive decline. |
| Do you challenge yourself in meaningful ways? | Facing challenges that matter, like mastering a new skill, tackling a creative project, or solving problems, develops resilience and adaptability. Overcoming obstacles builds confidence and a sense of achievement, while also keeping the mind sharp. Meaningful challenge is a key ingredient in long-term fulfilment. |
| Do you feel a sense of purpose? | Having a clear sense of purpose, whether through career, family, creativity, or service, provides direction and motivation. Purpose is consistently linked to longer, healthier lives, reduced risk of depression, and better stress resilience. It gives people a reason to take care of their health and to keep striving, even during difficult times. |
| Do your daily activities align with your values? | When your actions align with what you truly value, life feels coherent and meaningful. Misalignment, on the other hand, creates stress, dissatisfaction, and burnout. Living in alignment with your values reduces inner conflict and supports mental well-being, which makes health habits feel more natural and sustainable. |
| Do you nurture meaningful relationships? | Social connection is one of the strongest predictors of happiness, well-being, and longevity. Strong relationships buffer stress, reduce the risk of depression, and provide emotional support during challenges. Conversely, loneliness has health effects comparable to smoking or obesity. Investing in relationships is investing in long-term health. |
| Do you contribute to others through service? | Acts of kindness, volunteering, or helping others provide a sense of meaning and community. Contribution boosts mood, reduces stress, and strengthens social bonds. Giving isn’t just good for others, it reinforces self-worth and creates a feedback loop of wellbeing. |
| Do you experience awe or wonder regularly? | Awe (whether through nature, art, music, or spirituality) expands perspective, reduces self-focus, and lowers stress. Research shows it can decrease inflammation and improve mood. Regular awe experiences make life feel bigger and more connected, fostering gratitude and well-being. |
| Do you feel connected to something larger than yourself? | Whether through spirituality, religion, community, or connection to nature, feeling part of something bigger fosters resilience, belonging, and meaning. It helps people navigate hardship and creates a foundation for hope and optimism. |
| Do you make time for play, fun, or creativity? | Play and creative expression (art, music, games, hobbies) fuel joy, reduce burnout, and spark innovation. They provide psychological relief from daily stress and stimulate brain areas linked to problem-solving and resilience. Making space for play and creativity keeps life engaging and balanced. |
Why the Flourishing Section Matters More Than You Think
Most health checklists stop at the basics: eat better, move more, sleep enough, and get your medical check-ups. Those things are absolutely essential, but they’re not the full story. That’s why this assessment goes a step further and includes flourishing.
Flourishing habits are the ones that help you feel truly alive. They’re about joy, purpose, awe, relationships, play, creativity, and meaning. In other words, not just avoiding illness, but building a life you actually want to wake up for.
This isn’t fluffy or optional, it’s grounded in research from positive psychology and public health. Studies consistently show that people who cultivate gratitude, purpose, social connection, and creativity don’t just feel happier, they also experience lower rates of depression, better cardiovascular health, stronger immunity, and even longer lifespans. In fact, some of these habits can be just as protective as diet and exercise when it comes to long-term wellbeing.
And from years of coaching, I can tell you that you can have the “perfect” diet and a disciplined workout routine, but if you never laugh, never connect deeply with others, never feel inspired, and never have fun, your health will feel hollow. You’ll survive, but you won’t thrive.
By including flourishing in this assessment, I want to help you see health in its fullest sense. It’s not just about avoiding risk factors and hitting the bare minimum inputs you need to survive, it’s about designing a life that gives you energy, joy, and meaning. Ultimately, when you’re flourishing, the rest of your health habits become easier to sustain, as you’re motivated to eat well, to move, to rest, to manage stress, because you’re building toward a life that actually feels worth living.
How to Use Your Results
Once you’ve worked through the questions, the real value comes from knowing what to do with your results. Here’s the step-by-step process I recommend (it’s the same framework I use with clients):
Step 1: Complete the assessment honestly.
Be brutally honest with yourself. This isn’t about looking good on paper, it’s about getting an accurate picture of your habits. If you “sometimes” floss, don’t mark “always.” If your bedtime routine is inconsistent, admit it.
Honesty is what gives you a clear starting point.
Step 2: Score each domain and check your traffic light rating.
Each section will give you a percentage score, and you’ll see whether you’re in the green, amber, or red zone. Green means you’re doing well, amber means there’s room for growth, and red highlights priority areas that need attention.
Step 3: Identify your weakest habits.
Look at your results in order from lowest to highest. These are your blind spots—the small hinges that could swing big doors. Maybe you’re strong on diet and exercise but struggle with sleep. Or maybe you manage stress well but rarely take time to connect with others or experience joy.
Step 4: Create an action plan.
Pick 1-3 of your lowest-scoring habits and design a simple, specific action for each. For example:
- If you scored low on hydration → set a reminder to drink water with each meal.
- If you scored low on sleep → start a 15-minute wind-down routine before bed.
- If you scored low on flourishing → schedule one fun or creative activity this week.
The point isn’t to overhaul your entire life overnight. The point is to make small, sustainable improvements in the areas that matter most. Over time, these add up to massive changes.
And remember that this isn’t about perfection. No one, myself included, scores “always” on every single habit. That’s not the goal. The goal is progress you can maintain, building a system that supports both health and happiness for the long haul.
Triage Ultimate Health Habits Assessment Quiz Conclusion
Ultimately, health is multi-dimensional. It’s not just about lifting weights or eating healthy food. It’s the sum of your diet, exercise, sleep, stress management, lifestyle habits, and your engagement with habits that allow you to flourish as a human being. Each piece matters, and when they all work together, the result is powerful.
The Triage Ultimate Health Habits Assessment gives you a structured way to see the whole picture. It highlights your strengths, shines a light on blind spots, and helps you focus on the habits that will give you the biggest return on your effort.
So, take the assessment. Be honest with your answers. Reflect on your results. Then pick your top three to five weak spots and create a simple, specific action plan to start improving them.
You don’t need to chase perfection, you just need to slowly build momentum in making good choices wherever possible.
If you want to understand what you should be prioritising, or you need help creating a plan of action, we can help you do this. You can reach out to us and get online coaching, or alternatively, you can interact with our free content.
If you want more free information on nutrition and exercise, you can follow us on Instagram, YouTube or listen to the podcast, where we discuss all the little intricacies of exercise and nutrition. You can always stay up to date with our latest content by subscribing to our newsletter.
Finally, if you want to learn how to coach nutrition, then consider our Nutrition Coach Certification course, and if you want to learn to get better at exercise program design, then consider our course on exercise program design. We do have other courses available too. If you don’t understand something, or you just need clarification, you can always reach out to us on Instagram or via email.
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