Getting Started in Notion without Getting Overwhelmed AF
I don’t think it’s a secret at this point…
I’m obsessed with Notion!
I literally don’t think I’ve ever found a productivity system and platform that is as powerful as Notion is. I’ve used the expression “organize your entire life” before to describe productivity systems, but, until Notion, I don’t think it was true. This program really does have the power to transform, organize, and systematize your entire life into a streamlined, simplified, and automated one. Plus, it’s constantly leveling up and improving with new features and tools that make it even better. So, it’s no question why I’m obsessed with Notion as a platform.
And I’m no stranger to the productivity systems game. I’ve tried:
Monday
ClickUp
Trello
Pen to paper planning
Digital pdf planning
Evernote
I’m sure there are more, but I honestly don’t remember. Anyways, the point is, I’ve used a lot of different systems to plan and stay productive. Notion is probably my favorite for one simple reason: the possibilities truly are endless.
but I also have heard a common concern…
It’s overwhelming as hell for new users!
For all its potential, when you first start using Notion it is literally just a blank screen. Yes, its possibilities are endless, but that’s just the problem: its possibilities are endless! The core benefit of Notion is also its Achilles heel. So, where should you start? How can you benefit from this tremendously powerful platform, without getting paralyzed by overwhelm and possibilities?
Well, here are some tips to get you started…
#1
Use Templates
If you’re just getting started with Notion, I think the worst thing you can do is to start from scratch. Instead, take advantage of the abundance of Notion templates that are out there on the internet that you can benefit from.
Firstly, Notion itself offers an abundance of templates to get you started. Even if they don’t have the pizzazz and aesthetic feel that you might see in people’s screenshots of their Notion templates, Notion needs to - first and foremost - be functional! Otherwise, it defeats the purpose of being a productivity tool. So, I would recommend checking out some of the existing templates inside of Notion. Anytime you create a new page, you will have a “templates” button part way down the blank page. Once you click on this, it will take you to an abundance of potential options that you can use and, who knows? One might fit exactly what you need…
Notion has templates for designers, students, engineers, marketers, HR professionals, product managers, and personal users. Even if their templates are imperfect, this is a great way to start because they give you a framework instead of making you feel like you need to DIY the entire thing.
Another option is to leverage the templates of creators and YouTubers, many of which unofficially have Notion-centric channels, where they share their workflows, templates, how-tos, and more! I’ve learned a ton about Notion from Thomas Frank Explains, KDigitalStudio, and Anna Lenks, among others.
I’ve also got a bit of a shameless plug. 🤣😁🤷🏻♀️Guilty! I’ve been building the ultimate Notion template for a while that compiles basically everything I’ve ever used my Notion for: goal and life planning, task management and project organizer, my business, content creation, travel planning, fitness and meal planning, note taking and book tracking, etc. Seriously, that is just scratching the surface!
I call it my Anti-Burnout Notion Digital Planner and it’s truly the culmination of years of playing around in Notion, testing out templates, and more. Plus, for those of you that are new to Notion and want some guidance on how to use it, the option to the right includes my support group, which gives you access to tutorial videos, how-tos and continuous support so you can get to know the Digital Planner and Notion itself…because I know how busy you are and I want to take as much of the guesswork as possible out of using this platform!
But, in a nutshell, that’s tip #1 - leverage templates! That way you don’t have to start from scratch.
#2
Watch YouTube Tutorials and/or Notion’s YouTube videos
There’s a ton of really incredible functionality inside of Notion, so much so that I didn’t really understand the full breadth of its capabilities until earlier this year. That’s why I think it’s so important as a Notion user to leverage the knowledge of others. As I’ve mentioned, I’ve learned a ton about Notion from Thomas Frank Explains, KDigitalStudio, and Anna Lenks and once you start watching, YouTube will start recommending other similar videos that will help you continue your Notion education.
In addition to creators and YouTubers, Notion also has its own YouTube channel with videos and walkthroughs showing you exactly what to do and how to use its features. The really funny thing to me is that their channel has fewer followers and subscribers than some of the creators and YouTubers I mentioned above. Hmmmm…
They do have one video that I think is important to highlight:
This video walks you through some of the Notion basics, which brings me to my next tip…
#3
Stick to learning the basics
As they describe in the video above, there are some basics that I would recommend getting to know - headers, lists, databases, and linking databases. Headers allow you to add some different aesthetics to your Notion space. Additionally, there are some different ways to list out and organize the content on your page, namely with bullets, numbered lists, toggles, or to-dos.
Another thing that I think is really crucial to getting started in Notion is creating databases. I think this is one of the most powerful aspects of Notion, especially because you can link databases together. Say you have a database for all your Notes and you have a database for all of your tasks (which is actually how my Anti-Burnout Notion Digital Planner is set up). Maybe you need the information in your note to be associated with your task for quick access and reference when you’re working on something. With database linking, you can automatically create that association so that the note or task is simply a click away (as opposed to searching inside of Notion for the note, which is also super easy). Fortunately, your friends at Notion have already created a YouTube video walking you through some of these more advanced database features here.
I’d say those are the most important things to start with inside of Notion. Ultimately, you don’t need to understand every single little nuance and feature Notion just yet, especially if you’re just getting started. However, if this is something you’re interested in doing, check out my Anti-Burnout Notion Digital Planner support group option.
#4
Beware of how ADDICTIVE Notion is…
Consider this a word of caution from someone who has fallen into the vortex that is Notion content online: it is addictive and consuming. Once I started exploring YouTube and learning more, I ended up spending hours in a vortex of YouTube videos, playing around with this inside of my Notion space. In a lot of ways, Notion is a high achiever’s dream! So many of us plan as a means of stress relief. Having a solid plan, thinking through logistics, carving out workflows, etc. makes us feel good, productive, in control, etc. And though that’s a great thing, we can also plan as a procrastination tactic.
So, here’s my recommendation. Either:
Give yourself a weekend to just screw around with things in Notion and let your inner productivity/planner nerd run wild
OR Set time caps for how long you’ll let yourself play around in Notion or get lost in the YouTube video vortext.
Honestly, I’ve done both. I started by setting a 60-min timer where I would let myself watch a couple of Notion walkthroughs, of which there are many on YouTube (and that I’m now adding to, I guess), and implement what I was learning inside of my space. Then, I would step away! Recently, though, I decided to really throw myself into Notion, creating templates, content, etc. and - as a result - I did do the “give yourself a weekend just to play” experiment and, I’m not going to lie, it was fun as hell!
YouTube - obviously - insisted on feeding my addiction because every time I went back on YouTube, there was a new Notion tutorial and walkthrough for me to watch. So, make no mistake, the vortex is endless and if you don’t limit yourself, you’ll get caught up in it.
