No Zero Days: The Small Shift That Changed Everything About My Productivity

Years ago, I came across a post on Reddit that changed the way I looked at my time.

It was a simple phrase — “No Zero Days.”
Just three words, but they hit like a freight train.

The idea was this: no matter how small the effort, do something every day that moves you forward. Don’t let the day end with a zero in the progress column. Write one sentence. Do one push-up. Organize one drawer. Send one email. Whatever it is — make sure the day isn’t a zero.

At the time, I was stuck in the all-or-nothing mindset that kills so many good intentions. If I didn’t have an hour to write, I wouldn’t open my notebook. I was constantly waiting for “the right time” — and in the meantime, I was doing nothing. Days would pass and I would have nothing to show for my time.

But the “No Zero Days” mindset flipped the script.

It gave me permission to shrink the task. It taught me that momentum matters more than magnitude. One small action today makes it easier to take a bigger one tomorrow. And over time? Those tiny moves add up to serious progress.

I started writing more. I started finishing more. I even started trusting myself again — because I was no longer breaking promises to myself waiting for the perfect moment.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or paralyzed by perfectionism, I encourage you to try this. Just one thing. Every day. Doesn’t matter how small. Doesn’t even have to be good. It just has to happen.

You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight.

You just need to stop having zero days.