What is a nonzero day?

How Nonzero counts a day

Each habit has a full target and a minimum. Every day you mark a habit one of four ways, and each has its own shape, so you can read your month in any colour.

• DoneYou hit the full target.
• MinimumYou did the small version. The day still counts.
• RestA planned day off. It neither counts nor breaks anything.
• MissedIt was due and didn't happen. Never shown in red.

Never miss twice, worked through

Your streak counts nonzero days in a row. One zero is forgiven if the next day that counts is nonzero: it shows as a gap, and the streak doesn't grow. Two zeros in a row end it.

Why a minimum helps

Starting is often the hardest part. A minimum small enough for your worst day turns that day into a small win instead of a broken chain. On good days you do the full target; on hard days, one page is enough.

How long does a habit take?

In a 2010 study, people took a median of 66 days for a new daily habit to feel automatic, with a range from 18 to 254 days. Nonzero shows each habit's way there: “Becoming a habit · 41 of 66 days”, then “Settled in”.

Words we use

Nonzero day

A day with at least one habit marked Done or Minimum.

Zero day

A past day when something was due and nothing was done.

Minimum

The smallest version of a habit that still counts, such as one page.

Never miss twice

One zero is forgiven if you come back the next day; two in a row end the streak.

Gap

A forgiven zero. The streak neither grows nor breaks.

Comeback

A nonzero day that comes straight after a zero.

Rest day

A planned day off for a habit. It neither counts nor breaks a streak.

Questions