The Perspectives Method (2024 edition)

Summary

The video script introduces an updated method for building and deploying applications within Notion, focusing on the 'perspectives' approach. The host shares their journey from the initial 'perspectives method' to a more refined and user-friendly version, highlighting the ease of building, deploying, and understanding the new system. The discussion covers the transition from using databases to a direct subpage approach on the main 'HQ' page, which simplifies navigation and creates a more application-like experience. The host demonstrates how to create focused views or 'perspectives' for different aspects of project management, emphasizing the flexibility and scalability of the method. They also touch on the benefits of building software tailored to one's process rather than forcing a process into pre-existing software structures. The video concludes with a call to action, inviting viewers to share their experiences and preferences regarding the perspectives method and offering support for those interested in implementing it.

Takeaways

• 📚 The video introduces a new method for building and deploying applications within Notion using 'perspectives', which is considered an improvement over previous methods.
• 🔄 The new approach does not require a database, making it more user-friendly and accessible, especially for those not familiar with database management.
• 🚀 The updated method allows for easier navigation and a more intuitive user experience by integrating applications directly into the main page as subpages.
• 🧩 The use of 'synced blocks' is highlighted as a key feature that maintains persistent navigation elements across different views or 'perspectives'.
• 📈 The speaker emphasizes the flexibility and scalability of the new method, allowing users to build and structure their Notion workspaces according to their specific needs.
• 🔍 The benefits of using databases for filtering and sorting are discussed, but the speaker suggests that for many applications, the new method without databases is more straightforward and effective.
• 🎨 Customizability is a significant aspect, as users can design their own processes and applications within Notion, rather than being constrained by pre-built software solutions.
• 📱 Mobile view considerations are mentioned, noting that the navigation can be adapted for mobile use, with content appearing first and navigation at the bottom of the page.
• 🤔 The video provides a comparison between the old and new methods, encouraging viewers to consider which approach might be best suited for their particular use case.
• 📘 The concept of 'perspectives' as a framework for building a structured yet flexible Notion workspace is emphasized, rather than a rigid, one-size-fits-all system.
• 🌟 The speaker shares personal preferences and invites viewers to engage in a dialogue about their own preferences and experiences with the new method, fostering a community of Notion users.

Q & A

What is the main benefit of using the new version of the 'perspectives' method in Notion?

The main benefit is that it's easier to build, deploy, and understand. It provides a more approachable and user-friendly way to create applications within Notion without requiring a database.

How does the new way of building in Notion using perspectives differ from the old version?

The new way does not require a database. Instead, it uses synced blocks and subpages to create a navigational element that persists across all pages, making it more intuitive and less confusing for users.

What is a 'synced block' in Notion?

A synced block in Notion is a piece of content that, when updated, will reflect changes across all instances of that block. It allows for persistent navigation and consistent structure across different pages.

Why might someone still want to use the older database version of perspectives for certain applications?

Some applications, like a perspective journal, benefit from the database model because it allows for filtering and sorting based on properties. This is useful when you need to manage data objects rather than just navigating through pages.

How does the new perspectives method help in building a project manager within Notion?

The new method allows you to build a project manager as a series of subpages within a main 'project manager' page. This provides focused views for different aspects of project management without the complexity of a database.

What is the advantage of having the navigation bar on the right side instead of the left?

Placing the navigation bar on the right side allows users to see the content first and then navigate. This can be more intuitive for English readers and helps avoid conflicts with the Notion sidebar that automatically pops out on the left.

How does the new perspectives method help in maintaining the balance between flexibility and structure?

The new method provides a framework for building applications within Notion that is both flexible and structured. It allows users to create custom views and manage their data in a way that suits their process without being locked into a rigid structure.

What is the 'perspective journal' mentioned in the script?

The perspective journal is a digital bullet journal built using Notion. It uses the database model to filter and sort different types of page spreads, providing a personalized and effective way to manage daily tasks and information.

Why does the speaker recommend learning how the new perspectives method is put together?

Understanding how the new perspectives method is constructed allows users to know how it functions, enabling them to build and customize their own applications within Notion effectively.

How can the new perspectives method be beneficial for companies and their employees?

The method can help companies empower their employees to build systems that work for them, improving productivity and efficiency. It allows employees to focus on their tasks without getting bogged down by information management.

What is the speaker's personal preference regarding the placement of navigation in software applications?

The speaker prefers having the navigation on the right side because it allows them to see the content first, which aligns with the left-to-right reading pattern and reduces clutter on the left side of the screen.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Introduction to the New Notion Perspectives Method

The speaker introduces the audience to an updated method of using Notion, called the 'perspectives method,' which is designed to be easier to build, deploy, and understand. They discuss the evolution of their approach to Notion over the years and highlight the benefits of the new method, such as its intuitive navigation and the ability to create a more application-like experience within Notion. The speaker also mentions the ease of reworking entire systems using perspectives and invites viewers to compare the old and new methods.

05:00

📚 Building a Notion Project Manager Without a Database

The speaker demonstrates how to build a project manager in Notion without using a database, which is a departure from the old method that relied on databases. They explain the advantages of this new approach, including better navigation and a more seamless user experience. The new method involves using synced blocks and subpages within a main 'HQ' page, creating a more integrated and less confusing system. The speaker also discusses the trade-offs between using databases and the new method, emphasizing the flexibility and scalability of the latter.

10:02

🔍 Customizing Data Views for High Priority Tasks

The speaker guides viewers on how to create a 'high priority tasks' view within their project manager. They explain the process of shaping data to meet specific expectations, such as filtering and sorting tasks based on priority. They also discuss the importance of designing one's own process and building software around it, rather than forcing a process to fit pre-existing software structures. The speaker provides a step-by-step approach to creating new perspectives or 'slates' and emphasizes the ease of building new applications using templates and synced blocks.

15:03

🧩 Building Applications for Product Management and Team Collaboration

The speaker expands on the concept of using Notion for building applications tailored to specific needs, such as product management and team collaboration. They discuss the structure and framework of building within Notion, emphasizing the balance between providing a consistent structure and allowing for customization. The speaker also touches on the idea of creating a self-sufficient environment that doesn't rely on Notion's sidebar or breadcrumbs, and the benefits of this approach for new users.

20:04

📈 The Benefits of Using a Database for the Perspective Journal

The speaker contrasts the new method of building in Notion with the older database-modeled version, using the 'Perspectives Journal' as an example. They explain that while the new method is generally easier and more intuitive, there are cases where using a database is beneficial, particularly when it comes to filtering and sorting on page properties. The speaker also shares their personal productivity system and how the database model has been helpful for them.

25:04

📱 Navigating Notion on Mobile and Personal Preferences

The speaker discusses the placement of navigation elements in Notion, sharing their preference for having the navigation bar on the right side instead of the left. They mention the challenges of using the sidebar and how it can interfere with navigation. The speaker also addresses mobile views, noting that content is presented first, followed by navigation at the bottom of the page. They invite viewers to share their preferences and experiences with the new perspectives method and offer to answer further questions.

🌟 Embracing Flexibility and Structure in Notion

The speaker concludes by emphasizing the importance of maintaining flexibility while providing structure in Notion. They reflect on the evolution of the 'perspectives' methodology and how it has adapted with new features in Notion. The speaker encourages viewers to build in a way that is intuitive and useful for managing their lives and work better. They also express their passion for helping others build systems that are tailored to their needs and invite feedback and interaction on social media platforms.

Keywords

💡Notion

Notion is a productivity and organization tool that allows users to create pages for various purposes, such as project management, note-taking, and database management. In the video, the speaker discusses the evolution of using Notion to build custom 'applications' or 'perspectives' tailored to individual or team workflows.

💡Perspectives Method

The Perspectives Method is a unique way of organizing and navigating through Notion pages by treating them as different 'views' or 'perspectives' within a larger application. It is mentioned as a technique that makes Notion feel more like a collection of applications rather than just a database or a set of pages.

💡Sync Blocks

Sync Blocks in Notion are a feature that allows users to duplicate content across multiple pages, keeping them in sync. The speaker uses sync blocks to create a consistent navigation structure across different 'perspectives' or subpages within a Notion workspace.

💡Project Manager

The term 'Project Manager' in the context of the video refers to a custom application built within Notion to manage tasks and projects. It serves as an example of how Notion can be used to create a focused and structured environment for project management.

💡Database

In Notion, a database is a collection of pages that can be filtered, sorted, and manipulated in various ways. The speaker contrasts the use of databases with the newer approach of using pages and sync blocks, discussing the benefits and drawbacks of each method.

💡UI/UX

UI/UX stands for User Interface/User Experience. The speaker emphasizes the importance of creating a good UI/UX within Notion to make it feel more like dedicated software. This includes designing navigation elements and minimizing reliance on Notion's default sidebar or breadcrumbs.

💡Templates

Templates in Notion are pre-built pages that can be duplicated and customized. The speaker uses templates to quickly create new 'perspectives' or applications, maintaining consistency and speeding up the setup process for new workspaces.

💡Breadcrumbs

Breadcrumbs in Notion are a navigation feature that shows the user's path through the pages. The speaker discusses the pros and cons of relying on breadcrumbs for navigation, particularly when using databases versus in-page navigation.

💡Productivity Systems

Productivity systems refer to the methods and tools used to organize and manage tasks and information efficiently. The video explores how custom Notion 'perspectives' can serve as a productivity system, helping users focus on specific elements of their work without getting lost in the broader database.

💡Perspectives Journal

The Perspectives Journal is a specific application of the Perspectives Method used for creating a digital bullet journal. It is an example given in the video where the use of a database is beneficial for filtering and sorting different types of journal pages or 'spreads'.

💡Mobile Views

Mobile Views pertain to how Notion pages and applications are adapted for use on mobile devices. The speaker discusses the placement of navigation elements and the importance of content visibility on mobile, highlighting personal preferences and the need for a potentially simplified mobile-specific dashboard.

Highlights

The introduction of a new version of the 'perspectives method' for building in Notion, which is considered an easier and more intuitive way to create applications within the platform.

The new method does not require a database, making it more approachable and easier for users to deploy and understand.

The demonstration of building a project manager as a subpage of a company's main landing page, enhancing the user experience with a more application-like feel.

The use of synced blocks to maintain navigation elements across different pages, providing a consistent user interface.

The discussion on the benefits of building directly on the main page (HQ page) instead of housing packs in a separate database.

The explanation of how the new method avoids confusion by not relying on breadcrumbs or sidebar navigation, making it more self-contained and user-friendly.

The presentation of a new slate or perspective creation process that allows for quick and easy deployment of new views or applications.

The emphasis on flexibility and scalability in the new method, allowing users to build and structure their Notion workspaces according to their specific needs.

The idea of building software for your process, rather than forcing your process to fit the mold of pre-existing software.

The detailed walkthrough of creating a new perspective for high-priority tasks, showcasing the ease of filtering and sorting data within the new framework.

The option to use templates for new applications, streamlining the process and reducing the need to start from scratch each time.

The inclusion of a 'return to HQ' button in the navigation, enhancing the user experience by providing a direct link back to the main page.

The choice to move the navigation bar to the right side, based on personal preference and to avoid conflicts with Notion's sidebar.

The consideration of mobile views, where content is presented first followed by navigation at the bottom of the page for a more content-focused approach.

The emphasis on the importance of building a system that works for the individual or company, empowering them to manage their information more effectively.

The evolution of the 'perspectives' method from version 1.0 to 3.0, highlighting the continuous improvement and adaptation to new features in Notion.

The invitation for viewers to share their own implementations of the perspectives method and engage in a community discussion on Twitter.

Transcripts

so I think one of the main benefits of

this is that it's easier to build it's

easier to deploy it's easier to

understand welcome back to the channel

today I want to show you what I think is

the newest version of the best way of

building a notion a long time ago my

first video at least on YouTube for

notion was about how I started building

in a really unique way in notion and I

called it the perspectives method and it

really feels like an application within

notion but over the last couple of years

I've figured out new and I think better

ways of deploying the kind of

methodology of perspectives but in

better in maybe even easier ways

especially as new features have come out

in notion and so today I want to show

you the latest way that I have begun to

deploy notion or build a notion using

perspectives and especially for those of

you who have uh kind of reworked your

entire system I see many comments uh

from people and I love to see it that

they've rebuilt their entire notion

system using perspectives I want to show

you what I think is now the best way to

do it for most cases and so probably

better if we just jump in and show you

exactly what I mean and then I'll show

you how I build it and then if you are

familiar with the old way you can kind

of compare it uh but I'll I'll kind of

tell you some of those benefits of doing

it this way rather than the other way

and I'll also talk about some of the

reasons why you might want to stick to

the old way so in the old version of

perspectives what we do is we build this

kind of what feels like an application

within notion and I call it the

perspectives pack so if we go back one

page what we're actually looking at is a

database so all of this lives in a

database and I'm not going to go over

how to do this because this is in an old

video I'll show you the new way but this

is the old version in a database uh

hosting these pages and then you create

the kind of main landing page of

whatever application so maybe we're

making a project manager we'd call this

project manager copy this link go back

to our HQ put that link there and then

when we jump into this project manager

what we can do is create these

perspective views so maybe this one

would be you know projects and now we

have this projects window but as I build

in these New Perspective you know uh

views they all kind of maintain and

persist with this navigation and so then

I could do another one you know maybe

it's recurring tasks and what I do is I

build a view of recurring tasks here

okay so again go back and watch the old

video if you're really curious on that

what I want to show you is a new way of

building in perspectives that does not

require a database I think it'll be a

lot more approachable and easier for

people to use so we're looking at a

project manager for for this kind of

mock company team space that we've been

covering over the last few videos and

building this out as we go and this is a

project manager for this fake company

called lunco uh and this is on their

lunar HQ so this is kind of that main

landing page for the entire company and

then we can jump into project manager so

for you that are familiar with the old

way of doing this you'll notice that

this is not a link this actually just

lives directly on the HQ page the

application is now a actual subpage of

the HQ so instead of having to house my

pack databases in somewhere you know

some other place and then link them uh

on whatever HQ I just build them

directly so one of the main benefits

especially for a larger company of doing

it this way that was not possible with

the database version is that a lot of

people actually follow the breadcrumbs

up at the top we really try to build

this UI ux that does not require using

the sidebar or even the breadcrumbs we

like to you know include navigational

elements like this return to lunar HQ

button that takes you directly back and

then you can jump into other team hubs

or other applications the idea is that

it should feel like dedicated software

or like your own website and then the

things that are kind of going on in

notion like the sidebar and the

breadcrumb are almost like this backend

feature that you don't necessarily want

to rely on however realistically most

people actually use and like features

like the breadcrumb so what happens is

when we do it in the database because we

have to house that database somewhere

else people end up following the

breadcrumb back they get stuck in the

database they're lost it's a little

confusing and I I kind of understand why

in this case the project manager is

actually just sitting right on that HQ

page so if somebody were to especially a

new user were to follow the breadcrumbs

backwards they're able to get somewhere

actually useful they're not stuck in

some database view like they would be

with the previous version so how does

this actually work this project manager

this is the main what I would call the

landing page so we're still building it

it still functions the same way you'll

just notice that there's no database

list here um these are just pages and

when I hover over you'll see that red

outline around all of this and that's

because this is a synced block so

instead of using a database view we're

using a synced block along the way it

just kind of begged the question what is

the purpose and benefit of using a

database versus just housing these Pages

like this and there are still some cases

like my perspectives Journal where you'd

still want to use the database but in

most cases I think this is actually a

lot better so we're looking at this

landing page for project manager and

then all of these pages are just

subpages of project manager so because

they live in this sync block this

navigational element will show up on

every single one and obviously you can

see this is kind of a dummy one that I I

copied the structure from a different

project manager but what we have is this

navigation uh sync block that's on every

single one so what we end up with is

essentially the same thing uh we're

building this application within notion

and we're able to give ourselves these

really focused perspective views for

jumping into each one but it's still

flexible and scalable so what I'm not

doing is telling you how to build or

structure your life or your company all

I'm doing is giving you a framework for

building it in notion in a consistent

way one that's helpful one that helps

you focus on very particular elements um

but then you can really build it to suit

whatever process you need need to do in

notion and that's what we really like to

enable in notion and I think that's the

most beneficial way to look at notion is

by building software for your process

not having to force your process to fit

the mold of whatever software you buy so

this is kind of that middleman between

the blank page shock of notion or where

you feel like anything's possible you

build dashboards and they all function

differently but in this case I'm giving

you a layer in between where it's a

structure to notion but it's not a

structure to your process the reason why

notion can be so enticing and yet so

confusing is that it mixes the actual

data content that you need in ocean with

the structure of the software you're

mixing this front end and back end so

when I'm building this project manager

page right here this is structural I'm

building this kind of application for

myself this dashboard but these objects

right here like lunar lunar soil

research are Pages just the same as the

project manager the page but in this

case this lunar soil research project is

representing some abstract data that I

need to manage so it's this project for

lunar soil research and inside of it

there's even more uh breakdowns of

information within it so it can get

really convoluted so what perspectives

is is just a systematic approach to

building the framework of your notion

workspace that UI ux kind of component

of your workspace and it still frees you

up to manage your data and build your

process however you need so in this case

we've broken up this project manager by

different you know types of things that

you might be concerned with when you're

doing project managing so we're thinking

in terms of applications rather than

dashboards so we have this task pool you

know and then we've got our main

projects that we still have active and

then if we were to build in some sort of

flagging mechanism we'd have them

flagged here and filtered and sorted to

show Flags but all of this is to build

this application for project managing

and you'll see that it's alongside some

others like we in a previous video built

a file finder and this one is to help

manage files and this is just one

opinionated way of building files that

I've used perspectives for but you don't

have to do it this way you don't have to

break down your files by these Affinity

groups um you can do it in whatever way

you want however we both could still use

perspectives to manage our files I've

just chosen this kind of way whereas you

can do the same thing and choose a

different kind of way of managing files

but they both use perspectives and this

filefinder is using the same structure

and framework as the project manager so

that's what I want to kind of really uh

nail down is that what perspectives is

is the framework the kind of software UI

that you can use and then you can still

flex and scale what I mean by scale is

that you are not kind of locked in once

you build this I've got these

really fast abilities to build New

Perspectives per application or deploy

new applications really quickly and so

in this project manager um I've even got

one already kind of pre-made uh that I

didn't mean to have on there but I can

make a new one so I started calling

these a little differently since this is

kind of a new version for me so instead

of perspectives I was calling these

slates you can call them perspectives

whatever um we press this button it

makes A New Perspective and it's going

to show up and then I can make this and

modify this for whatever is useful for

me so once this loads actually we'll be

able to open it up and what we could do

is you know maybe these are like uh high

priority uh tasks or something like that

you know and then we've got the

important little icon I'm designing my

own software right now I'm building my

own application and then I would pull in

the task database so I could go find it

in my my data page which is right here

grab tab ask S copy the

link go

back and then when I paste this what I

want to do is essentially just the the

intuitive thing which is if I'm calling

this perspective high priority tasks

what do I then need to do to shape this

data so that it actually meets this

expectation when I come to this page if

I expect high priority tasks let's make

sure that I've designed my data in a way

that I can filter and sort it to show me

high priority tasks so in this case I

don't have anything currently on my task

database that would allow me to show or

see high priority tasks I don't have any

property to it um so if we you know open

up a page one of these tasks there's no

property I just have it done right this

is where it's up to you to design your

own process there are so many ways to

prioritize your task you could do it

with many different statuses you could

do it with a checkbox whether it's high

priority or not you can do it with uh

statuses or selects or multi selects

whatever um it's up to you so this is

where I'm not going to give you too much

of an opinion on how to actually build a

project manager I just want to show you

the framework so if this checkbox really

simple yes or no is

representing priority and I check them

to be priority now I have the data

structure to show a high priority task

so what I want to do is filter by this

priority is checked save that

and now we effectively have this high

priority tasks View and in any of our

other task views like the task pool

we'll see this priority column is there

but we're not really filtering or

sorting on it currently we could change

that but what I can see now with this

high priority tasks is if I find that

useful for my workflow now I have this

View and I might also filter this you

know keep this in mind you're designing

your own your own process uh and then

building software for it

I probably also want to filter this to

where if it's done I don't want to see

it whether it's priority or not because

I don't really care the task is done so

what I want to do for this is to add

another little filter

and really fine-tune this where the

priority is checked but done is also

unchecked CU I don't really want to see

anything that is checked so if I were to

check one of these as done it will go

away so anytime I want to make a new

application I'll start out with a

template that I already have pre built

so that I don't have to build it from

scratch every time and I would

definitely recommend doing it but we're

going to look in this template and see

how it's built so that you can build it

yourself uh or I will include a link in

the description for you to to just

download this and play with it yourself

if you struggle to figure out how it's

built but I would highly recommend uh

learning how it's put together so that

you know how it functions so in this

template um we have just again this page

but we also have what I want to include

in every new slate or perspective that

I'm going to create for this application

for this pack right so I have this sync

block and this lives on this slate

template and we have a link this slate

template this page I have linked to

itself right here um and again it's in

the sync block so when I go to new pages

it's also going to be available for me

to come back to this page and then we

have a button that is return to HQ this

just opens the main page in full page

just a little navigation trick um I

could use a link but I like to use the

button and then we have this new slate

button which creates a new page so this

can get a little tricky to kind of wrap

your mind around because we're kind of

we're going to kind of inception some

pages with sync block so this is the

main page and then this new slate page

we want to go into this and this new

slate page that it creates we also want

to include this sync block so make sure

that the main synced block lives on the

template this is the original and then

when you go to create this button and

this button just does button is clicked

insert block above button this page when

we design this page we want to take that

sync block and we want to make two

columns so here's one column here's the

other column and we want to paste that

synced block here and once we do that

anytime we update anything in the sync

block it will update across all of them

so if I were to add you know high on

this template page you know we're

editing a template and a button right

here and I go back to the actual main

page it shows high so now we've got this

persistent navigation going on and every

time I press this button and it creates

a new page each of those pages are going

to look and feel exactly like this page

which starts to make it feel like you're

actually not going to a new page it kind

of makes it start to feel like you're

only changing this kind kind of content

right here while maintaining a very

Dynamic navigation bar it's dynamic

because it's only for this particular

application whereas the sidebar is not

dynamic because it's just showing you

everything that you have in the sidebar

for your entire workspace so it's a

small subtle little change but it

actually really changes the way you view

your software and it's probably much

more familiar to you and more intuitive

to you than you think you probably take

it for granted because you've been using

software for you know probably your

whole life at this point and so these

little things that we just take for

granted from software we've used

previously just like getting in a car

and driving it because you've had

experience in a totally different car we

want to take advantage of that as much

as possible and so that's kind of how it

goes together and when we create this

new slate right here um I'm in the Slate

template so if I were to actually make a

new application what I would do is

duplicate this and then I would move

this to in this case I just have them

sitting on lunar HQ so I'd visit that

put this over here so again this is a

little different than the old version of

perspectives where we had to build it in

a database and then copy the link and

all that um so what I want to do here is

then open this and now I can just go

from here and start building out an

application so whatever that would look

like maybe it's you know

um product

management and what I can do now is just

create a new slate this has duplicated

what was in that button that I just

showed you and when I click on on it

we're opening up a new page and it looks

the same as product management we've got

that that kind of header so it's kind of

bumping things down a little bit I could

remove that and so now you'll see that

they look oh they're a little off but

they look almost exactly the same and

that's the trick is when you go into

that template page here uh right here

this new slate one you want to adjust it

and try to make it the exact same size

so that every time you make a new one

they are the exact same so there's like

a little a little bit of a difference in

width but I don't care care too much and

now what I do is start building out what

is you know going to be good for me for

product management and like you've seen

in maybe previous videos we have also

the same kind of structure not only for

these applications but also for our

teams and so This research team when I

jump into it I also have built this in a

way where I can jump into the sub teams

rather than you know applications so

I've got propulsion um this one's empty

so that's why it's looking like that but

we can build this in in many different

flavors so again it's just a structure

for the way you build a notion so I

think one of the main benefits of this

is that it's easier to build it's easier

to deploy it's easier to understand and

it also makes it easier for people using

it to be able to still rely on the

breadcrumbs to find where they are

looking for the the main benefit if you

really think about it fundamentally of

having something in a database is that

you have the properties and things to

filter filter and sort on but in the

case of most applications you really

don't need to filter and sort on those

pages what do I mean by that in this

project manager these perspectives right

here I don't really need to filter and

sort these but by putting them in a

database like I used to that's really

the main benefit that gets unlocked when

I first did perspectives there was

benefit to the creating a page with a

template and opening it in full page but

I think with buttons and pages and sync

blocks of advancing since then it kind

of really takes away some of those

reasons to use a database so if I don't

need to filter these like I did in the

in the previous ones or use you know

like the hide from view or the sort

order one which we no longer have to use

anymore this makes it a lot easier so a

good example of a application that would

actually benefit from having it in a

database and this is kind of up to your

discretion uh for what you want to use

is something like my perspectives

Journal one example of something that

would actually benefit from using the

older database modeled version is the

prospective journal and I have a

previous video where I show this

perspective Journal it's basically a

digital bullet journal and even have a

template that you can buy but this

perspectives Journal I think actually

really does benefit from the database

kind of model that we used and that is

because right here I'm able to filter on

the different types of pages so this is

a different flavor instead of creating

these perspectives you know for

different areas areas of the application

what I've done is I've used the same

kind of framework but these Pages now

represent actual objects so uh in the

bullet Journal method these would be the

different spreads like daily weekly

monthly futur log and uh project and

information spreads you can watch that

video if you want to learn more about

how this works and I of all the

productivity systems I actually build

and use this is the one that actually

has helped me the most and I keep coming

back to on a regular basis uh even

though it's kind of

anti- dynamic databases and all that

stuff it requires some manual effort but

for me that actually helps me a lot

because every day I have to remind

myself and think about what I want to

put on my task list for the day rather

than relying on the system to just show

me the same thing every day that doesn't

really force me to ask the question

what's important and what is no longer

important so I love this perspective

journal and it really benefits from this

approach because I can filter based on

the different types of page spreads that

I have so this perspective Journal is

just one of many different ways you can

use perspectives for building out your

structure so again I want to show you

kind of non- opinionated ways of

building a notion so that you can build

for yourself one last piece to mention

you may have noticed that I have moved

the navigation of the perspectives bar

over here to the right side rather than

the left side and uh when I ask people

online on Twitter what they thought of

left versus right I actually got pretty

mixed answers on which they preferred so

again this is up to preference I like it

on the right because I like to see my

content first and then I like to see my

uh navigation over here I'm I'm an

English reader and writer and and

speaker so left to right is the way my

eyes typically work and so I think it

actually helps a little bit to see your

stuff first but also I think we're

seeing a a wave of software put their

navig ation on the left and notion

obviously is one of them you have the

sidebar that pops out new um apps or or

things like Arc web browser they have it

on the left so I think we're seeing an

influx of that and I think having a

bunch of navigations on the left while

being intuitive because that's what

everyone else is doing um can be kind of

annoying in its current state with

notion having it on the left uh it just

is like too many things on the left and

I don't really like it but I think

really the biggest reason why I moved it

over is just because the the sidebar

automatically pops out and when you're

trying to come over here if it was on

the left uh so many times I'd be trying

to navigate to another page and that

sidebar would pop out and it's just

really annoying and I don't like it and

if there was just a simple toggle in

notion to maybe turn off this ability of

the sidebar to pop open like this

because you can still press this button

and pop it open uh I would love that and

I might actually go back to the left

because I like to depend on ocean

navigation without using the sidebar so

I I really most of the time don't have

the sidebar open because I like to

create my own environment uh that relies

on itself it's self-sufficient it

doesn't depend on the breadcrumbs or the

sidebar so that is really the main

reason why I put it over on the right

side um a lot of people asked about

mobile views and so if you're opening

this page on mobile the difference is

you'll now see your content first and

then at the bottom of the page it will

put the navigation Some people prefer to

have their navigation at the top of

their mobile page I personally would

rather see the content that I'm looking

for and then go and scroll down to get

somewhere else however if it really

mattered to me um and if I'm being

honest I don't use my mobile phone for

notion very often if it really mattered

to me I would just build a mobile

specific dashboard for some of the

things that I want to deal with on my

phone and um and just make it probably a

lot more simpler I probably wouldn't use

columns I may not even use perspectives

it would just be a simpler page layout

for the sole focus and sole use of

mobile but again the preference is up to

you um I don't think there's any right

or wrong answer here I personally like

it on the right side let me know in the

comments if you like it on the right or

the left side um and let me know if you

are also going to use this newer uh

maybe simpler version of doing

perspectives in a sync block and of

course let me know if you have any

further questions or if you want me to

dive more into detail detail on some

aspect of this but I wanted to give you

a quick uh kind of tour and overview of

the new way that I'm building in notion

using kind of the same I would still

consider perspectives but it's just it's

different perspectives is a methodology

that doesn't care so much the technical

way that you build a notion but it's

about building in a framework around

applications just the same way that you

have applications on your phone think of

notion as the environment like your

operating system and now instead of

having to download apps from the App

Store that somebody else made you have

the ability to make your own application

that can actually be kind of uh scary to

a lot of people because they don't

actually know what they want they want

somebody else to tell them uh but for

those of you who are up for the

challenge and want to build a system

that actually works for you and how you

think or maybe even your team or company

it's just a way of thinking and grouping

the things in your life or your company

in terms of applications or some sort of

pool of focus so in this case uh this

one's project management and so just by

jumping in here we're already in the

mindset of okay we're in project

management mode and now I have these

perspectives that really allow a focused

view of my data without having to mess

with a bunch of tabs here filter and

sort manually every time I can build

these kind of pre-made views for that so

I jump into my task pool and and I see

all my tasks we just made that high

priority one so if if what really

matters to me is prioritizing my tasks

and picking out a few really high

priority ones I've given myself that

ability and what we have is this really

flexible way for you to do it um but

also structured and I think that's

that's the key where I think this is the

best I have seen of maintaining

flexibility that notion really allows

and a lot of people are attracted to

while giving structure that a lot of

people usually find out they need when

things are a mess and they're looking

for some solution

and most of the solutions online however

good they can be usually are opinionated

they're usually formulated around some

sort of Beyond structure and notion

they're formulated around this is my way

of viewing life and there's a lot of

benefit to learning from those however

my personal take and my personal passion

is finding these ways in notion to build

in a way that is intuitive and so that's

what we have in perspectives I think it

goes a little deeper than just being um

building views in databases and

especially as notion comes out with more

features um I'm I'm always curious and I

always love to figure out okay now that

we have some new Tools in our toolbox

how can we build even better and build

in a way that people find useful and

helpful to actually manage their life

because that's what they want to use

ocean for is to manage their life better

do their work better have more fun not

get distracted or bogged down with the

tediousness or the tedium of finding

their information they can actually

focus on what they do and what they love

to do without having to ask a million

people where to find the information

they can actually do what they're

actually good at and I think that's good

for them and it's also good for the

companies that uh hire them and I think

companies would be really interested in

empowering and supporting their

employees to actually do what they were

hired to do and not have to go and

search for their information um it's

already built in a very intuitive way

for them to find it and enjoy to use as

software so that is perspectives uh

let's call it 3.0 there was the original

perspectives which was the databases uh

it's kind of clunky where you also had

cross application navigation below it um

if you don't know what that means go

watch that old video but not really that

important anymore and we had to sort

them by numbers and we had to um every

view also had to have its own database

and then we figured out sync blocks

putting the the database in sync blocks

we got rid of the Cross application

thing we started using uh call outs and

making things a lot cleaner I think

aesthetically and now this 3.0 I think

is uh really minimal and functional I

love to still uh Implement call out

blocks although you may have noticed

that the template that I use is a little

different again you can kind of tweak it

however you want um so like in this case

the page content has the call out block

around it and the navigation does not

have it around the navigation however

that new template that I made in this

video is the opposite so we've got the

call out block around the navigation but

then each page body would be empty so

still um I'm I'm playing around with

what I like what I think is best what I

think feels good um and you are totally

free to move it around tweak it to your

liking and of course like I say in every

video would love to see what you're

doing with it you can find me on Twitter

atthe Josh red and of course uh

subscribe if if you want to see more

content like this we're on YouTube

weekly this has been the third month in

a row that I have uploaded and so I'd

love to have you along for the ride and

let me know what kind of content you

find useful and you want to see and

we'll see you in the next video