Introduction
Notion is my preferred tool for managing both personal and professional aspects of my life. Though it's not flawless, I've found it to be an effective system after years of exploration. I require a system that is user-friendly, somewhat standardized, and most importantly, easy to migrate out of. Notion is potent but can lead you down the path of constructing overly complex views. Here's how I'm using Notion in 2024, with the hope that it will inspire you to create your own system!
One database to rule them all
I've chosen to consolidate all my Notion content into a single database named Data. It includes everything that would be detrimental to lose, should I need to swiftly leave Notion. This database houses a series of properties that are standard across all data types:
| Fields | Notes |
|---|---|
| Name | Unique title of data document |
| Timestamps | Created and last edited times |
| Status | Not started, In progress, Done, To publish |
| Type | What is the data? Is it a blog post, a case study, or a note? |
| Tags | Tags are created when I need to tether data together. |
| URL | An optional URL |
| Archive | A checkbox that marks if the data is archived (hidden from view) or not (shown in view) |
Importantance of portability
I aim to exit Notion as smoothly as possible. This is not a criticism of Notion, but rather reflects my cautious approach to online tools. Notion isn't flawless and lacks features I value, such as responsive apps and offline mode. However, the benefits it provides make it worthwhile for me.
Linked databases
My Notion workspace mainly contains pages, which are used to display necessary data. I utilize linked databases to present this data, applying custom filters, sort functions, and views. Here's what I typically do:
- Sort items by the most recently edited
- Display only items that are not archived
- Use the
typeortagsas a filter to show relevant data. For instance, to view blog posts, I filter bytypeto displayblog posts. - Conceal any properties not applicable to the
type. For example, I don't usestatusfor every data piece, only for those I track on status boards.
By doing it in this manner, I enjoy my single Data database, with many views that are referencing it. This simplifies the structure of my database, and makes it easier to interact and create data.
Types of data
The real strength of the Data database lies in the types select field. The following types were utilized in 2024:
| Data | Notes |
|---|---|
| Books to read | Stores things to read, broken down by professional and personal reads. document |
| Kudos | Stores screenshots of text kudos I get. Perfect for when I need some affirmations. times |
| Blog posts | Ongoing content that I am actively writing in Notion to publish on this blog. |
| Notes | General notes that I want to stash. These could be meeting notes, reminders, anything I want. |
| Resonance log | Stores notes on web links and content that inspires me to create unique notes and ideas for myself |
| Meetups | Stores notes taken at events. I publish the individual note for easy sharing with peers. |
| Projects | Includes freelance and personal projects. Includes high-level to-do’s, outlines, and links to docs I share with clients. |
| Case studies | Database of content written for my professional portfolio. |
| Mentees | Individual documents for designers I mentor, to share notes, videos, and more. |
By using Notion in this manner, I can store all my data in a single database. I can then use filters on individual pages to view and interact with the data. This ends up making my Data database look like this:
Tags
I plan to use tags as a way to connect similar content, to create pages that are additional filtered views of my data. So far, I have the following tags I use as topics I want to group together:
- design systems
- front-end development
- design leadership
In the future, I plan to create pages that shows all my data according to tags. This helps place content in front of me that resonated, to help ideate on new content.
Factoring in 9-5 work
I have a tag, Smartsheet, that I apply to all data related to my day job. I mostly use this for notes, to show a dedicated list of work notes within my Smartsheet page.
Dashboard
The hub, my dashboard, houses all my pages that are filtered views of the Data database. I set this as my homepage in my browser, to make sure that my data is always in front of me.
Notion in my household
Notion also facilitates special projects within my family. We manage significant projects, travel plans, plant care guides, and more in a private space. I custom-build everything there, based on our needs.
Notion in my business
As a freelancer, I create a dedicated Notion page for each client. This page serves as a central repository of information, including links to designs, contracts, reviews, and more. These are typically read-only documents that clients can refer to for effective use of the delivered code. I make the top-level page public so that my clients can easily access project information.
The final result is an informative experience for consuming the content I create in Notion. These pages are stored in my private Notion page titled Client wikis. I custom-build each wiki for the freelance project I'm working on.
Conclusion
While this may sound like an advertisement for Notion, it isn't. My years of experience and trial and error have helped me find an optimal balance. I hope this post encourages you to evaluate the tools in your workflow and find your ideal match. My main advice is to start simply and incrementally expand your workflow processes. Enjoy your planning!