My Super Simple Productivity System in Notion (2024)

Summary

The Focus Log is a comprehensive productivity system designed for Notion, which helps users transition from feeling overwhelmed to taking consistent action. Maddie introduces an updated version of the Project Planner, simplifying and enhancing its aesthetics and functionality. The system is structured around the ideas of productivity experts like Gino Wick and David Allen, focusing on setting yearly goals, breaking them down into quarterly projects, and managing tasks on a weekly and daily basis. It includes a toolbar for navigation, a dashboard for tracking progress, and a shutdown feature to mark the end of the workday. Maddie also offers a free training called Focus Quest for further guidance on implementing the system.

Takeaways

• 📈 The Focus Log is a comprehensive productivity system designed to help users transition from feeling overwhelmed to taking consistent action.
• 🎯 It is based on proven concepts by productivity experts like Gino Wick and David Allen, aiming to provide clarity and focus towards goals.
• 🔧 The system is implemented within the Notion app, which is the speaker's go-to productivity tool, and is freely available for users to adopt.
• 📆 The Focus Log includes a year, quarter, week, and day structure, encouraging users to plan and manage their goals in an organized manner.
• 🚀 The 'Future Self' concept is introduced as a motivational tool to help users visualize their personal transformation and desired outcomes.
• 🔍 Users are encouraged to conduct case studies and reverse engineer the paths of successful individuals to identify skills, projects, and relationships that led to their success.
• 💡 The template includes a 'do not delete' section that houses all the dashboards and databases necessary for the system's functionality.
• 🗓️ The weekly system emphasizes 'Needs and Duties' to categorize tasks, distinguishing between essential life-maintenance activities and self-improvement actions.
• 📝 The daily section simplifies task management by showing all tasks due on or before the current day, promoting a clear view of immediate responsibilities.
• 🛑 The 'Shutdown' feature promotes work-life balance by encouraging users to set a clear end to their workday and transition into relaxation time.
• 🌟 Focus Quest is an in-depth training program that complements the Focus Log, offering a community for accountability and resources for consistent progress.

Q & A

What is the Focus Log and how does it help with productivity?

The Focus Log is a comprehensive Notion system designed to help users transition from feeling overwhelmed to taking consistent action. It is based on proven concepts by productivity experts like Gino Wick and David Allen, aiming to provide clarity and focus towards achieving goals.

Who is Maddie and what is her role in relation to the Focus Log?

Maddie is the presenter of the Focus Log system. She is associated with 'kjun Koy', where she helps users learn smarter and earn more by providing productivity tools and coaching.

How is the Focus Log different from the Project Planner?

The Focus Log is an updated version of the Project Planner. It is simpler, more aesthetic, and works even better. It includes a toolbar with five buttons for easy navigation and a 'do not delete' section that contains all the dashboards and databases necessary for the template's functionality.

What are the four parts of the Focus system mentioned in the script?

The four parts of the Focus system are: Goals, Projects, Weekly Review, and Tasks. These sections are designed to help users plan and manage their goals in an organized manner, starting from a yearly overview down to daily tasks.

How does the yearly goal section of the Focus Log work?

The yearly goal section is where users set their annual objectives. It includes a map and toggle to remind users of the overall framework for planning goals. Users are encouraged to think about their 'future self' and what personal transformation they want to achieve.

What is the purpose of the case study exercise in the yearly goal section?

The case study exercise helps users visualize their future self by looking at examples of people who have undergone a similar transformation. It involves researching and documenting the journey of individuals who have achieved what the user aspires to.

What does the quarter system focus on in the Focus Log?

The quarter system focuses on the projects and skills necessary to achieve the yearly goals. It includes a database for managing active and completed projects, with a framework that emphasizes the importance of skills and deliverables for each project.

How are tasks managed within a project in the Focus Log?

Tasks within a project are managed using a project board that allows users to add, organize, and track the completion of tasks. Users can also add notes or documents to support the tasks, ensuring all necessary information is readily available.

What is the significance of the weekly system in the Focus Log?

The weekly system helps users categorize their most important tasks into 'needs' and 'duties'. It includes an inbox for capturing tasks, a calendar for scheduling, and a review section for reflecting on the past week and planning the upcoming week.

What is the purpose of the 'shutdown' button in the Focus Log?

The 'shutdown' button is used to mark the end of the workday and transition to relaxation. It is based on the idea of creating a clear boundary between work and leisure time to prevent burnout and maintain long-term focus and motivation.

What additional resources are available for users of the Focus Log?

Users have access to an in-depth training called Focus Quest, which includes clear steps, a community for accountability, and various tools and resources to help stay consistent and improve productivity.

Outlines

00:00

📈 Introduction to the Focus Log System

The speaker, Maddie, introduces the Focus Log, a productivity system designed to help users transition from feeling overwhelmed to taking consistent action. The system is offered for free and is implemented using the Notion app. Maddie explains that the Focus Log is an updated version of a previous project planner template, simplified and aesthetically improved for better functionality. The system is based on productivity concepts by experts like Gino Wick and David Allen. The video provides a tour of the Focus Log in Notion, highlighting its structure divided into year, quarter, week, and day sections, each accessible through a toolbar. The speaker emphasizes the importance of planning in the order of year, quarter, week, and day for a comprehensive overview. The yearly goal section includes exercises to help users define their 'future self', with suggestions to use case studies of successful individuals to guide this process.

05:01

📚 Setting Yearly and Quarterly Goals

Maddie delves into the process of setting yearly goals by envisioning the 'future self' and using case studies to identify personal transformation aspirations. The focus log includes exercises to help users define their future self, such as reverse engineering the paths of successful individuals to understand the skills, projects, and relationships that contributed to their success. Users are encouraged to create an 'avatar' to symbolize their commitment to transformation. The quarterly system is then introduced, where users plan projects based on their yearly goals. Each project should have a deadline and a deliverable. The speaker demonstrates how to add and manage projects in Notion, including setting deadlines, associating skills, and creating tasks and notes to support project completion.

10:03

🗓️ Organizing Weekly and Daily Tasks

The script shifts to the weekly system, focusing on categorizing tasks into 'needs' and 'duties'. 'Needs' are essential non-negotiable tasks, while 'duties' are actions that contribute to personal growth and align with long-term goals. The speaker explains how to capture tasks in the inbox, clarify them by assigning priorities and due dates, and then scheduling them in the calendar. The process includes a weekly review to assess progress towards quarterly projects and ensure tasks are appropriately allocated. The system also includes a daily task view that lists all tasks due on or before the current day, allowing users to manage their daily responsibilities effectively.

15:05

🌙 Ending the Day with a 'Shutdown' Ritual

Maddie concludes the video script by discussing the importance of establishing a 'shutdown' routine at the end of each day to separate work from relaxation and prevent burnout. The shutdown process involves a three-part checklist: reviewing the completion of daily duties, planning for the next day's duties, and expressing gratitude for accomplishments. The speaker emphasizes the significance of this routine in maintaining long-term focus and motivation. The video also mentions an in-depth training called Focus Quest, which provides step-by-step instructions, community support, and resources to help users implement the Focus Log system effectively.

Keywords

💡Notion

Notion is a productivity app used for note-taking, project management, and database creation. In the video, it's described as the go-to productivity tool for the presenter, Maddie, and is central to the Focus Log system. The Focus Log is a template designed within Notion to help users stay organized and focused on their goals.

💡Focus Log

The Focus Log is a system within Notion that helps users manage their tasks and goals effectively. It is designed to provide clarity and consistency in action, as mentioned in the script. It is broken down into year, quarter, week, and day sections, each serving a specific purpose in planning and reviewing progress.

💡Productivity Gurus

Productivity gurus are experts in the field of personal and organizational efficiency. The script references concepts by figures like Gino Wick and David Allen, who have contributed to the design of the Focus Log system. Their ideas are integrated into the template to help users achieve greater productivity.

💡Yearly Goals

Yearly goals are long-term objectives set for an entire year. In the context of the video, setting yearly goals is the first step in the Focus Log system. The script encourages users to visualize their 'future self' and set goals that align with that vision, such as becoming a successful entrepreneur.

💡Quarterly Goals

Quarterly goals are short to medium-term objectives that are part of the Focus Log system. They are derived from yearly goals and are focused on specific projects and skills. The script explains that these goals should have deadlines and deliverables, which help in breaking down the larger yearly goals into manageable parts.

💡Weekly Review

A weekly review is a practice of reflecting on the past week's activities and planning for the upcoming week. In the script, it is part of the Focus Log system where users assess their progress towards quarterly projects and ensure they are allocating resources appropriately.

💡Needs and Duties

Needs and duties are categories of tasks within the weekly system of the Focus Log. 'Needs' are non-negotiable tasks essential for maintaining life order, while 'duties' are actions that contribute to personal growth and align with the user's future transformation. The script uses these categories to help users prioritize their tasks effectively.

💡Project Management

Project management is the process of planning, executing, and closing projects. In the video, it is a key component of the Focus Log system, especially in the quarterly and weekly sections. Users are guided to manage their projects by setting deadlines, identifying required skills, and breaking down tasks into actionable items.

💡Dashboard

A dashboard in the context of the video is a visual display within Notion that consolidates information and provides an overview of the user's goals, projects, and tasks. The script mentions that the Focus Log includes various dashboards that help users track their progress and manage their workflow.

💡Case Study

A case study, as mentioned in the script, is a research method that involves an in-depth analysis of a specific individual or group. In the Focus Log system, users are encouraged to conduct case studies of people who have achieved similar transformations to their future self. This helps in visualizing and reverse-engineering the path to success.

💡Avatar

In the video, creating an 'avatar' refers to the process of designing a symbolic representation of one's future self. This is part of the yearly goal setting in the Focus Log system, where users are encouraged to think about their transformation as if it were a character in a video game, helping to solidify their commitment to change.

Highlights

Introduction to the Focus Log, a comprehensive Notion system designed to shift from feeling overwhelmed to taking consistent action.

The Focus Log is offered for free and comes with a tutorial on implementation.

Maddie from KJUN KOY introduces Notion as a productivity app that has been instrumental for years.

The system is built around productivity concepts by Gino Wick, David Allen, and other gurus to provide clarity and focus.

Tour of the new and improved Focus Log, an updated version of the project planner template.

Explanation of the toolbar with five buttons corresponding to different sections of the template.

Recommendation to plan in the order of year, quarter, week, and day for a big picture overview.

Instructions on setting yearly goals using the Focus Log, including a pre-filled template for ease.

The concept of the 'future self' and how it drives the yearly goal setting process.

Three exercises within the Focus Log to help visualize and plan for personal transformation.

How to use case studies of successful individuals to inform one's own goal setting.

The process of reverse engineering the path of successful individuals to identify key skills, projects, and relationships.

Creation of an 'avatar' to symbolize the transformation one is committing to for the year.

Setting quarterly goals focused on projects that align with the yearly goals.

Importance of assigning deadlines and deliverables to each project within the quarter system.

Managing projects by adding tasks and notes to the project database.

The weekly system's focus on needs and duties, with categorization of tasks accordingly.

How to use the inbox to capture tasks and the calendar to schedule them.

Conducting a weekly review to assess progress towards quarterly projects and resource allocation.

The day section of the system, which lists all tasks scheduled for or before the current day.

The 'shutdown' process at the end of the day to transition from work to relaxation.

Emphasis on the importance of gratitude and planning for the next day as part of the daily wrap-up.

Introduction to Focus Quest, an in-depth training program that complements the Focus Log.

Transcripts

this is the focus log it's a complete

notion system that's helped me go from

feeling overwhelmed to taking consistent

action and not only am I going to give

it to you for free but I'm also going to

show you how to implement it into your

life to get ahead of the competition I'm

Maddie and at kjun Koy we help you learn

smarter and earn more notion has been my

go-to productivity app for years now and

after thousands of five-star reviews and

coaching hundreds of students and

creators I think I found a system that

works it's designed around proven

concepts by Gino Wick and David Allen

and other productivity gurus to provide

Clarity so you can stay focused and make

massive progress towards your goals so

let's get into notion so this is the new

and improved Focus log it's an updated

version of the project planner which is

template that I released last year it's

simpler it's more aesthetic and it works

even better so let's do a quick tour of

course we can leave behind Misty with a

link to the rookie manual for

instructions for how to use this

workspace if you need a refresher I also

included a toolbar it includes five

buttons as you can see the icons here

correlate to the different section in

this template so goals goes the year

projects goes the quarter add weekly

review goes to the week and tasks goes

to the day and the last one shutdown

that also goes for today and these four

sections in these gray call out boxes

here are the four parts of our Focus

system and so I actually recommend which

is the same way that I'm doing this

video is to planed out by this exact

order year quarter week and day that way

you'll have a big picture overview first

of of this is the yearly goal and then

we'll be able to break that down and to

stay focused every step of the way we

manage our goals at each of these stages

and at the bottom there's also a do not

delete toggle and please do not delete

this because it includes all of the

dashboards and the databases that run

this template so if you delete it you're

going to break it you've been warned and

if you're enjoying it I left a link to

leave a review you can complement the

template or me and my nasty mustache so

let's get started with the Year by

default there's already a 2024 page to

set our yearly goal but let's just

imagine that we're starting fresh I'm

just going to go ahead and delete this

and click add goal using the button at

the top and now we'll make a new goal

I'm going to call it

2024 and with all of these buttons it

actually has a pre-filled template so

you don't have to do any extra work cuz

I'm nice like that I'm going to open

this into a full screen just so we have

more real estate here and because we're

well into 2024 I'm going to go ahead and

change the status to in progress so at

the top of every year quarter week or

day page you're going to see this little

map and toggle and that's just remind us

of the overall framework for how to plan

our goals for that segment of time so if

you expand this we'll see that the year

one is all about something called the

future self how do you become your level

100 self from let's just assume that

you're right now your level one Noob and

deciding on what your future self looks

like I like to ask the question what is

the personal transformation that I want

to achieve and let me explain why with a

little analogy so you are here but you

want to be there that is your future

self the smarter the sexier the more

productive version of you who doesn't

take no for an answer you can become

them if you get your together and

fly this rocket on target towards your

future self otherwise you might end up

way off course over here trust me you

don't want to be that guy all right

super weird so for our yearly goal the

question we want to think about is who

is our future self and to do that in the

focus log there are three exercises you

can run through first is to do a case

study so it's a lot easier to visualize

who we want to become if we have

examples it's like what's that saying

what would Jesus do right but replace

Jesus with someone that you want to

become so if your future self the

transformation you want this year is to

become a successful entrepreneur right a

case study can be I don't know Alex rosi

Ali abdal someone who's achieved a

similar transformation to the one that

you want and also has done a good job of

documenting that Journey along the way

it started by searching the web watching

YouTube videos reading books especially

if they've written a book that's a great

way to see their Journey exercise number

two is to reverse engineer their path

and what I mean there is looking at

their portfolio looking at three things

specifically what skills they acquire

the projects that they worked on and

what people they met along the way right

what are the things that they did to get

from where they were to where they are

now and you can use these Untitled

documents here to map out your case

study and because this is notion you can

embed links directly into to notion you

can basically make like a mood board of

that person that you look up to right so

you want to get as detailed as you can

and you're going to do this I would say

pick about three or five cases to do and

the reason we want to get multiple is

because our brain needs a lot of

convincing uncertainty is the killer of

productivity and so the more examples

and the more cases you can build the

more you can convince your brain that

wow this is actually something that's

repeatable you know multiple people have

gone down this path and found success

maybe I can do it too and that's what we

want to get to and the last step is to

create your avatar because from this

point forward the want you start

thinking about life like a video game

you're going to design your future self

right who does your character look like

they don't have to look like you but

this character should symbolize the

transformation that you're committing to

this year so the next category is the

quarter system and the question to plan

out our quarterly goals is which

projects are you building and this

should be based on those yearly goals

that we just set so there are four

example projects in this section this is

just a database with two views you can

see all of your active projects in

projects and all of your completed

projects over incomplete if you want to

add a new project you can go ahead and

just click on the add project button at

the top or you can just go ahead and

change um the contents of the projects

in here since they're already set up I'm

going to click add project a new

template will automatically duplicate

I'm going to say this project is maybe

um start my YouTube channel cuz we're on

YouTube here so so let's go ahead and

look at the framework for the quarter

system if we scroll down remember

there's a map at the Top If we expand it

we can see for the quarter system we're

focused on our projects and skills in

order to work on a project you need to

have a certain set of skills right for

example if my project is to start a

YouTube channel there are a few skills

that are going to be important for me to

learn so that I can start my YouTube

channel right I'm going to need to learn

how to edit videos I'm going to have to

learn how to speak to a camera if I'm do

talking head videos I need to learn how

to design thumbnails so skills and

projects go hand inand and that is the

focus of the quarter system what

projects are we working on based on

doing those case studies and reverse

engineering what our future self has

done projects have to have 2DS they need

a deadline right so you need to have a

time frame for when your project is

complete and you also want to have a

deliverable what is the tangible result

outcome whatever you want to call it the

thing that you create from this project

so go ahead and enter both of those in

for your project pick a deadline for

your project I'm going to start my

YouTube channel by then I would also tag

my project by the quarter that we're in

so right now it's May so we're in Q 2 I

believe and then once you finish

planning out your project you can move

this from planning to in progress or

completing it when you're done and go

ahead and enter in a deliverable for

this project

I I will

have so to manage our projects we also

want to think about two types of

resources we we want to think about the

tasks right the action items that we

have to do for the project we also want

to think about any notes or any

documents we need to support the tasks

that we do and both of those you can

quickly add to right here at the top

there's add notes and add task if you

scroll down in your project you'll be

able to see a project board here so if

you want to add a task to this project

click add task a pop-up will appear and

let's say choose name for channel I hit

escape and we'll see that now a task has

a appeared in the project task and just

like any can band board that you might

be familiar with you can just click and

drag this to move it along until it is

complete and you can just keep adding um

more

tasks like so so now let's add a note

I'm going to click on the add note I'm

going to go ahead and type in the name

of my note maybe this is um

similar channels in productivity I want

to click plus new and now I've created a

new note here and if I open this notes I

can go ahead and add contents to this

note so everything that we might need

for this project is nice and neat in

this folder and if we go back to our

dashboard by following the breadcrumb

trail at the top we'll be able to see

that start my YouTube channel appears

here it's Q2 it's a 100% complete um and

that is because the two tasks that I

have inside of it are both complete so

if there were additional tasks like

film YouTube video it would now say

66.66% or round it up but let's say just

for demonstration sake that you do

finish all the tasks so I'm going to go

ahead and drag this over to complete it

is now finished I can change the status

from planning to done like so let's

close out of it and boom it disappears

from the quarter View but if you go over

to the complete you'll be able to see

all of your completed projects here all

right so breaking down quarters now into

the next set of systems is the weekly

system right there are 12 12 weeks in a

quarter so in the week system the main

question to think about in setting our

goals properly is what are our needs and

our duties and so needs and Duties are a

way of categorizing our most important

tasks so needs for example are things

that you need to do these are

non-negotiable things that keep your

life in order for example if you work a

job your need is to go to go to work and

get paid so you can pay your bills needs

are also things like eating needs are

things like sleeping needs are things

like if you're a student going to take

your exams if you are a business owner

needs are serving your clients so that

you can keep generating money for your

business those are all things that are

needs duties on the other hand they're

not mandatory but they're things you can

do to improve yourself so duties would

be things like goal setting like we're

doing right now Duties are working on

your side hustles working on your

project working on your business as

opposed to in your business Duties are

learning skills building relationships

with people all of those things will

level you up as a human right because if

you only do the things that you need to

do you're going to maintain your life

you're not really going to get better so

it's your duty as an innovator or as a

Creator to do things that also level you

up and that's what the system is focused

on so what are the duties that level you

up well very conveniently since we're

working big picture to smaller picture

our Duties are the projects that we're

working on because those directly

correlate to our future transformation

so as you can see this whole system is

working together so far so in the week

section there are three tabs we have the

inbox which is a place where we capture

any tasks right any needs or duties so

we don't forget them and we have a

running to-do list our calendar is next

where we actually schedule those things

in our inbox and reviews is for a weekly

review we want to look back at the past

week and we want to determine do we need

to reprioritize things and make sure

that we're still focused we scroll to

the top there is a add task button I'm

going to click add task let's say the

task here is buy dad a Father's Day card

I'll hit Escape if I scroll down to the

inbox there is that new task that I

captured so whenever you have a new task

that comes to mind and you don't want to

forget it just click add task so the

next thing you want to do is clarify

these tasks so you know what you're

going to do with them and the easiest

way to do this is to just go left to

right so go ahead and click priority

it's going to say needs or Duty I can go

ahead and choose a need for this one or

a these are both needs if it belongs to

a project you can go ahead and add the

project that it belongs to and if you

know when you're going to do this task

go ahead and click do select a date

maybe this will be tomorrow and if you

schedule anything into your calendar it

actually disappears from the Inbox and

if we click on the calendar tab we'll

now see that those tasks appear in our

calendar so inbox is just for collecting

new tasks calendar is where we actually

see them in our calendar now what I

really love about this workflow is how

notion calendar can actually sync to

this task database so you can actually

just click open in calendar to open

notion calendar and you'll be able to

add calendar and you'll be able to see

all of your tasks here alongside all of

your Google calendar stuff as well so

it's a really easy way to keep two-way

sync going so now let's pretend that we

teleported 5 days into the future and

we're going to do a weekly review

because personally I like to do my

weekly reviews on Sundays so that then I

can plan the upcoming week with some

fresh Insight so to do that just go

ahead and go to the top and click add

weekly review it's going to open up your

weekly review in a side peek and I

actually like to leave my weekly review

in a side peek because because I can

scroll down and I can look at my

calendar in the left side of notion and

see if I completed all my tasks or not

as I answer these three questions

regarding the previous week so the three

questions are am I making progress

towards my quarterly projects am I

allocating resources appropriately and

am I equipped with everything that I

need to answer these questions I have

like objective data about whether or not

I completed everything so if I didn't

finish everything I can probably say

here that no I'm not but if I did and I

can go ahead and just click done for

these ones during the week then I'll say

yay JK I did it and once I finish my

weekly view this is when I'll go ahead

and plan out my next week and what does

planning look like it is going back to

my inbox looking at all the tasks that I

have to do and then putting them into my

calendar so I know what to tackle so the

day section of the system is very simple

it's going to show all of the tasks that

I have scheduled on or before today and

if I click the filter we'll be able to

see it says do on or before today so

what that means is if I add a task at

the top here let's say email

sponsor back and I have this due for

today if I scroll down I'll see that it

appears in my day let's add another task

let's say by eggs and this was before

today 19th or something and I scroll

down we'll also see that the previous

task one that's overdo also appears in

today so you can just see all the tasks

that you have either outstanding from

before or the one scheduled for today

and you can just check through them like

a to-do list when you finish them and

they should disappear another way you

can check your to-dos is if you go to

the calendar view you also be able to

see all your to-dos as well you also

notice in the day section there is a

link to to-dos and if you click that

it'll take you to a separate sub

dashboard where you can just see all of

your finished tasks that you've ever

done so the final button for the day is

at the top here it is called the

shutdown so this is actually an idea

that comes from Cal Newport one of my

favorite authors what he recommends is

picking a time at the end of every day

to completely shut off from doing work

and transition over to relaxation so

having a clear boundary between when

you're going to work and when you're not

going to work can really create that

long-term focus and uh motivation to

keep going and not burn out so at the

end of your day whenever you choose that

to be go ahead and click shutdown and

just going to run you through a

three-part checklist here to wrap things

up and get prepared for the next day did

you complete your duties for today how

are you going to complete your duties

tomorrow right planning ahead for

tomorrow and then the last one little

gratitude thing what is something that

you're thankful for because I think

often times we forget to appreciate some

of the hard work that we do especially

when we enter like routines and

autopilots and that my friends is the

focus log the full system to help you

take action every single step of the way

now at the end of the day I know that

this template is just a template and

without clear instructions it's hard to

know how to actually execute on this

we've also created an indepth training

called Focus quest with clear steps a

full community of other people to stay

accountable and tons of tools and

resources to stay consistent because at

least I can speak for myself once I got

clear on what my priorities were and

what the focus was on everything started

to fall into place and I could see huge

progress over time and as I mentioned

Focus quest which includes the focus log

is completely free right now and that

might change in the future who knows I'm

not not going to commit to anything

right now but I will leave links in the

description below if you want to check

it out now of course once you're clear

on what to do the next step becomes how

do I do it better right how do I work

with my strengths to do more in less

time well you should probably figure out

your brain type that is if you want to

unlock your unfair advantages