How to Get Started with Notion (without losing your mind)

Summary

This script outlines a step-by-step guide to set up a productive Notion workspace, focusing on creating essential databases for tasks and notes, and building a command center dashboard. It emphasizes the importance of databases as the foundation of a well-organized Notion setup and introduces the concept of views for efficient task and note management. The guide also highlights the use of templates for streamlined note-taking and introduces a calendar view for a visual task overview, encouraging customization according to individual needs.

Takeaways

• 📝 Start by creating a blank Notion page and naming it 'Life OS' with an appropriate icon to set up your Life OS home screen.
• 🎨 Customize the appearance of your Life OS dashboard with colors and dividers for a clean and organized look.
• 💡 Utilize databases as the foundation of productive Notion setups, beginning with simple task and note databases.
• 📆 Set up a 'Task Database' with properties like due date and checkboxes for tracking tasks with deadlines and completed items.
• 📑 Create a 'Notes Database' with properties such as note type, creation time, and last updated time for efficient note management.
• 🌟 Organize tasks and notes into different views on your dashboard, such as 'Upcoming Tasks', 'Inbox', and 'Recent Notes' for quick access.
• 🔄 Use keyboard shortcuts like command/control left bracket to navigate between pages in Notion for a faster workflow.
• 📌 Build a 'Command Center' to consolidate views of your databases, allowing you to manage tasks and notes from a single location.
• 📅 Add a 'Calendar View' of your tasks for a visual representation of your upcoming to-dos and to track deadlines effectively.
• 🔧 Utilize templates to streamline the process of creating new notes or tasks, ensuring consistency and saving time.
• 🔗 Create 'Quick Links' on your Life OS page for direct access to important views, keeping your command center uncluttered.

Q & A

What is the purpose of creating a 'Life OS' home screen in Notion?

The purpose of creating a 'Life OS' home screen in Notion is to set up a personalized dashboard that helps beginners organize and manage their tasks, notes, and other important information efficiently.

How does the speaker suggest naming the initial blank page in Notion?

The speaker suggests naming the initial blank page as 'Life OS' to establish a central hub for organizing one's digital life within Notion.

What are the two essential databases the speaker recommends creating first in a Notion setup?

The two essential databases the speaker recommends creating first are a 'Task Database' for managing tasks with due dates and an 'Notes Database' for organizing notes and information.

How does the speaker organize tasks in the 'Task Database'?

The speaker organizes tasks in the 'Task Database' by adding properties such as 'Task Name', 'Due Date', and 'Done' (a checkbox for completed tasks), and sets the view to 'All Tasks' sorted by 'Due Date' in ascending order.

What are the three categories of notes the speaker mentions, and how are they used?

The three categories of notes mentioned are: 1) Meeting or presentation notes summarizing learnings and findings, 2) Personal 'Thoughts' about ideas or plans that are not tied to a specific event, and 3) 'Research' notes which are clippings or summaries from external content like articles or videos.

How does the speaker create a 'Command Center' in Notion?

The speaker creates a 'Command Center' by building out the 'Task Database' and 'Notes Database', then creating views within these databases that can be displayed together in a single location on the 'Command Center' page.

What is the purpose of the 'Inbox View' in the 'Task Database'?

The purpose of the 'Inbox View' is to capture quick ideas or tasks without assigning a due date. Tasks in this view will appear when a due date is added and move to the 'Upcoming' view or 'All Tasks' when the task is due or has passed.

How does the speaker use the 'Recent Notes' view?

The 'Recent Notes' view is used to display notes sorted by the 'Last Updated Time' in descending order, showing the most recently updated notes at the top.

What is a 'Template' in Notion and how does it benefit users?

A 'Template' in Notion is a pre-designed structure for pages that can be used repeatedly to quickly create new pages with the same format and content. It benefits users by saving time and ensuring consistency across different pages.

How does the speaker suggest using the 'Calendar View' for tasks?

The speaker suggests using the 'Calendar View' for tasks as a visual representation of upcoming to-dos, allowing users to see their tasks laid out by date and easily move tasks to different dates as needed.

What is the final tip the speaker provides for enhancing the 'Life OS' home screen in Notion?

The final tip the speaker provides is to create a 'Quick Links' section on the 'Life OS' home screen that refers to the 'Calendar View' of tasks, allowing for easy access to the task calendar without cluttering the main command center page.

Outlines

00:00

📝 Setting Up Your Notion Life OS

This paragraph outlines the process of creating a Notion Life OS home screen from scratch. It begins with naming a blank page 'Life OS' and choosing an icon. The paragraph details the creation of a dashboard with two simple databases: one for tasks and one for notes. The author shares their personal Life OS setup as an example. The focus is on the importance of databases as the foundation of productive Notion setups, and the paragraph concludes with the initial setup of the 'Task Database', including properties like due date and task name.

05:02

📅 Building the Task Database

The second paragraph delves into the specifics of building the 'Task Database' in Notion. It explains how to create a table view, set up properties such as due date and task name, and organize tasks with sorting options. The paragraph also covers how to add new tasks, adjust column visibility, and sort tasks by due date. The author provides tips on using keyboard shortcuts for navigation and introduces the concept of an 'Inbox View' for capturing ideas without a due date, emphasizing its importance in task management.

10:04

📓 Organizing the Notes Database

This paragraph focuses on creating and organizing the 'Notes Database' in Notion. It describes the process of setting up properties like note type, creation time, and last updated time. The author categorizes notes into three types: meeting notes, thoughts, and research, and explains how to use colors to differentiate them. The paragraph also introduces the concept of views, showing how to create a 'Recent Notes' view that sorts notes by the last updated time. The author emphasizes the simplicity of setting up the notes view compared to the task view.

15:04

🔧 Customizing Your Command Center and Using Templates

The final paragraph discusses the customization of the Notion 'Command Center' and the use of templates for efficiency. The author explains how to create a 'Quick Links' section for easy access to different views and introduces the calendar view for a visual representation of tasks. The paragraph highlights the benefits of using templates to streamline note-taking and action item listing. It concludes with a brief overview of how databases power Notion setups and encourages viewers to ask questions and subscribe for more content.

Keywords

💡Notion

Notion is a versatile productivity and collaboration platform that allows users to create and organize various types of content, such as notes, tasks, and databases, in a customizable workspace. In the video, the creator uses Notion to set up a 'life OS' home screen, demonstrating its capabilities for personal task and note management.

💡Life OS

Life OS refers to a personal operating system setup within Notion that helps individuals manage and organize their digital life. It typically includes databases for tasks, notes, and other elements that help track and plan personal productivity. In the video, the creator guides viewers through the process of establishing their own Life OS home screen.

💡Dashboard

A dashboard in the context of Notion is a centralized location or page where users can view and interact with various databases and content in an organized manner. It serves as a home base for quick access to important information and tasks. The video demonstrates creating a simple yet effective dashboard for beginners.

💡Databases

Databases in Notion are structured collections of information, such as tasks or notes, that can be inputted, sorted, and accessed in various ways. They are the foundation of productive Notion setups, allowing users to manage complex information in an organized manner. The video emphasizes the importance of building databases first before creating dashboards and views.

💡Templates

Templates in Notion are pre-designed layouts or structures that users can duplicate and fill in with their own content. They save time by providing a consistent format for creating new pages or entries, ensuring that common elements are always included. The video shows how to create and use templates for note-taking to streamline the process.

💡Views

Views in Notion are different ways to display and interact with the data in a database. Users can create multiple views for the same database, each with its own filters, sorting options, and display formats, such as tables or calendars. The video demonstrates creating various views for tasks and notes to cater to different needs.

💡Task Management

Task management refers to the process of organizing, prioritizing, and tracking tasks to increase productivity and efficiency. In the video, the creator uses Notion's databases and views to effectively manage tasks, with features like due dates, checkboxes, and sorting options to keep track of progress.

💡Note-taking

Note-taking is the act of recording information, often during meetings, presentations, or personal reflections. In the context of the video, Notion is used to create a notes database with properties like note type and full date, allowing for efficient organization and retrieval of notes.

💡Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts are combinations of keys on a computer keyboard that perform specific actions more quickly than using a mouse or navigating menus. In the video, the creator mentions the importance of learning keyboard shortcuts in Notion to navigate between pages and perform actions more efficiently.

💡Productivity

Productivity refers to the efficiency and effectiveness with which tasks are completed. The video focuses on setting up Notion to improve personal productivity by organizing tasks and notes in a structured and accessible manner, enabling better time management and task prioritization.

Highlights

Start with a blank Notion page and create a life OS home screen in 12 minutes.

Use two simple databases to power the essential dashboard for beginners.

The life OS home screen setup is similar to the presenter's current setup, demonstrating its effectiveness.

Databases are the cornerstone of productive Notion setups, so start by building out databases before returning to the dashboard.

Create a 'Task Database' with due dates and a 'Notes Database' with categorization for effective task and information management.

Utilize the 'Done' checkbox property for tasks completed and sorting by due date ascending for prioritization.

Implement keyboard shortcuts like command or control left bracket to navigate back a page for efficiency.

Create a 'Command Center' dashboard to centralize views of tasks and notes in a single location.

Develop views such as 'Upcoming Tasks' and 'Inbox View' for task management, and 'Recent Notes' for easy access to updated information.

Use filters and sorting options to tailor views to display tasks and notes based on specific criteria like due date or last updated time.

Leverage the power of Notion's templates to streamline the note-taking process and reduce repetitive tasks.

Customize the 'All Views' within a database to have a default template for new notes, enhancing productivity.

Explore different database formats like table and calendar views to visualize tasks in various ways.

Create a 'Quick Links' section in the Command Center for direct access to important views without cluttering the main page.

The potential for Notion setups is virtually endless, allowing users to build out core databases and tailored dashboards to fit individual needs.

The presenter's fast-paced tutorial is packed with practical tips and tricks for new Notion users to quickly set up and begin using the platform effectively.

Transcripts

to help you get started in notion

without losing your mind we'll begin

with a completely blank notion page and

in just 12 minutes or so you have your

very own life OS home screen up and

running it comes with one essential

dashboard to help beginners get started

and this dashboard is powered by two

extremely simple databases and to prove

to you this is literally how I started

using notion years ago this is my

current life OS home screen and as you

can see it's basically set up the same

way so let's get started first we give

this blank page a name name life OS and

we choose an icon I like to use the Ying

Yang icon here we press enter we press

we press # twice space for heading two

dashboard forward slash blue you can

choose whatever color you want I'll

choose blue background here enter and

triple hyphen 1 2 3 to add a divider I

just think that looks super clean and

then double hashtag again one two and we

choose we type a database here for slash

gray gray background and triple hyphen

again 1 2 3 now the most common advice

you'll hear from experienced users is

that databases are the Cornerstone of

productive notion setups so we're going

to first build out our databases then

come back to the dashboard Pages go

ahead and type in for SLT and select the

table view under database here and then

we're going to actually select the data

source and select a new database we're

going to name this task database and

because I don't want a table taking up

half my screen I'm going to choose this

button here and I'm going to turn this

into a page so I can now click into the

task database and work on this in a

clean page I'm going to choose an icon

and let's choose a check mark here like

so and this is going to be task uh this

property I'm going to change this

property from multi select to date

because we want tasks are attached to

due dates I like to select the month

date year because I was unfortunately

unfortunately brought up in the US and

time format 24 hours and this is going

to be renamed to do date like so let's

decrease the size here a little bit and

the final property we're going to add is

a checkbox because we want to check uh

tasks that have already been completed

and I'm we're going to rename this oops

sorry clicked too fast there to done and

pro tip with checkbox properties you can

actually just hide the property name I'm

going to drag this to the left here so I

can like click this like so right oops

and I'm going to change this table name

to all tasks and I will select a bullet

point drop-down menu like so so it looks

a little bit cleaner let's add some

tasks just for placeholder purposes

first is watch Appo Vision Pro review

you and number two is sell kidneys to

afford it uh due date let's say for the

sake of argument today is when I'll

watch a review tomorrow or on in 2 days

I will sell my kidney oops there we go

let's actually clear this up next we're

going to book a flight to San Francisco

to complain to Tim Cook

directly and as you can see this has

wrapped columns turned on so I'm just

going to go to the three buttons here

click uh layout and toggle off wrap all

columns I just think this looks cleaner

I'm going to choose a due date here to

be two weeks from now and since this is

a task database we're going to add a

sort by due date ascending so that the

next due task is shown up top and if

you're using notion yourself you will

not see this save for everyone option so

you can choose to ignore it for this

entire tutorial and now if I choose to

add a new task uh like and comment on

Jeff's video and said that due to today

you'll see that it automatically jumps

up top and that's it we're done with the

task database now we can either click

the life OS button here to go back a

page or I recommend getting used to

keyboard short cets as soon as possible

so command or control left bracket to go

back a page and we're going to not now

start building our next not taking

database so for slash table same exact

process as before select a table View

new database we're going to name this

notes database and so last time we're

going to click this and turn into a page

to have notion the notes database rather

be in a standalone page add an icon and

I like to choose one of the writing

icons here like so and when it comes to

properties we're going to rename this to

note we're going to change this to date

actually and you'll see why in a little

bit like so full date month date year

and 24hour let's decrease the size of

this a little bit and then we here we're

going to add uh Select Property type and

we're going to tr we're going to type

note type and we'll come back to this in

a little bit we're going to add the

fourth property is created time so you

know when the note was created let's

choose the exact same time format and

we're going to add a last updated time

so how recently the note was updated

we're going to change that and there you

go you might be confused as to why

there's another date property here for

example if I had a one-on-one meeting

with my manager I'm going to start the

note today but the meeting is for

tomorrow so the creative time wouldn't

accurately reflect that I personally

have three categories of notes the first

notes type is when a meeting occurs or a

presentation happens and you're taking

down notes summarizing your uh learnings

and findings the second type of notes

for example let's say my friend tells me

about his trip to Iceland I'm like oh

think about traveling to Iceland sounds

like a beautiful place to go and let's

say this is happening like next week in

the future this would count as a thought

for me like thoughts right no meeting

happened uh no presentation occurred it

was just me thinking by myself oh I

should do something or this was

interesting and the third category of

notes is if I clipped uh a YouTube video

or online article for example intro to

uh AI by Google

and let's say this happens 2 weeks from

now I would categorize this as research

and you could change the colors of all

these notes by clicking through button

here let's say notes is uh blue thoughts

is yellow and research we can let it

remain gray and finally let's change the

view name to all notes and similar to

last time let's select the bullet point

one and we can sort by date uh

descending this time so that the most

recent note recent notes are are shown

up top save for everyone or just save if

you're using notion by yourself now that

we have these two databases let's build

out our first dashboard so for slash

page this time instead of a table enter

and we're going to name this Command

Center let's select an icon let's do the

activity icon right like so and this is

a personal preference but whenever I

create a new page I like to press enter

SL BREC Chrome to show the current page

location then enter again hyphen hyphen

hyphen to add a divider line I just

think this looks super clean then uh top

right we're going to choose as three

dots and we're going to actually turn

this page to full width to give us more

space to work with uh hashtag hashtag or

yeah pound sign pound sign space for

heading to and we're going to choose uh

weekly task view here for SL blue again

uh hyphen hyphen hyphen we can select

these two elements command D to copy and

paste move the newly created elements to

the right here like so drop it and we're

going to move the divider line back up

here we're going to change this to notes

view this next part is what makes notion

so powerful we will now create views of

the two databases we just created so

that we can see our Tasks and notes in a

single location this is why this is

called the command center starting with

the weekly view section for SLT we we're

still going to select the table view

under databases but unlike last time

we're going to select the task database

we built earlier in this video and we're

going to choose to copy an existing view

all tasks now before we do anything else

you want to actually left click on all

task and make a duplicate view so you

have the all task view still there and

then we're going to play around with

this new view we're going to rename this

to upcoming I want to see the upcoming

task in the next seven days we're going

to change the icon here to an i icon and

then we're going to select uh the filter

to done is unchecked so that all

uncompleted tasks will be visible right

we're going to save this and we're going

to add another filter because I want the

upcoming 7day task to be visible only so

we're going to choose the due

date go in start date is on or before

drop- down menu

one week from now so all tasks between

today and the next week will be shown

we're going to save for everyone and

we're going to make sure the sort due

date is still ascending so the next task

will be shown first so let's say cell

kidney that's due 2 days from now if I

were to select 3 weeks from now it

disappears right commen Z we bring it

back so that's how this works to clean

this up a little bit we can actually

click filter to get rid of all the

filter and stord options options and

we're going to click the three dots here

and hide the database title now we can

toggle between the upcoming View and the

all task view the third and final view

we're going to build is something called

the inbox View and it's very important

for task management and this is how it

works let's first go to the all task

view again we're going to left click

Three Dots and make another duplicate of

the all task view we're going to name

this inbox and we're going to select the

mailbox icon like so and the only only

filter option here will be the due date

is going to be empty is empty now the

way this works is you can quickly

capture any ideas or tasks you have in

here without assigning a due date

because sometimes you don't know when

the task has to be due and you can find

them all here the second you add a due

date so let's go through an example uh

rehearse for next

presentation the due dat is empty right

now but if I select it next week it

disappears and if we go to upcoming it

shows up rehearse for next presentation

right so let's go uh let's actually

command Z go back to the inbox view so

all tasks without a due date will be

shown here we can click the three dots

and hi the database title and I like to

move the inbox view oops to the middle

here so now you have three views

upcoming inbox and all task moving over

to the notes view this going to be super

simple compared to what we did with

tasks for slash table we're going to

select the table view under database and

we're going to select the notes database

we just created and we're going to copy

an existing view all notes and if you

remember this is sorted by the date

descending so first let's hide this

database title to make it cleaner and

we're going to click on all notes here

and we're going to make a duplicate view

again and we're going to change this

we're going to rename this to recent

notes so recently updated notes I'm

going to choose an icon so clock let's

choose a clock something like this maybe

and in instead of sort by due date uh

sort by date descending we're going to

sort by last updated time descending say

for everyone here so let's say uh this

this meeting my manager is happening

tomorrow but if I just change this to

even though the date is still scheduled

for tomorrow but because the last

updated time was just now a couple

seconds ago it's going to it's going to

jump to the top and speaking of this

looks a little bit messy so I'm just

going to actually click the three dots

here and we're going to choose

properties and we're going to deselect

these two to keep this view cleaner this

does not mean we're deleting the column

but rather just hiding them so click and

click so now within the notes view if

you click on the filter option to get

rid of the sort um options we see the

note title the note date and the note

type and we can even tidy this up a

little bit more as you use notion more

and more you'll figure out what other

sections you want to add to your command

center for example for me I have the

exact same upcoming weekly task view

here right but I have other sections as

well let me know in the comments if you

want an entire video on this hq/ Command

Center of mine in the meantime let's

move on to a must no feature all

beginners should use templates for

example in your notes view if you click

here or click the new button here you'll

be greeted with an empty page team

meeting and you have to populate

everything yourself the date oh it's on

okay not Saturday Monday day the note

type is going to be notes and it's going

to be uh key takeaways blah blah blah

one 2 3 um notes and then you have to do

this again again every single time a

much more efficient way is to first

let's exit out by pressing escape

clicking the drop- down menu here next

to the new button and choose new

templates and we're going to press

command control enter to expand this to

full screen click the three dots and

we're going to click full width and

let's title this oops new notes new note

choose a meaningful icon let's say

something related to writing again like

a pencil I like to have the note type

moved up below the date and we can

actually choose the date to dynamically

reflect the date you create the note so

today and I like to hide the creative

time and and uh last updated time uh

last edited time rather to keep this

clean and with then the page content

itself um hash hashtag heading to key

takeaways I like to use this the purple

color let's switch it up right now three

hyphens I'm going to select this like I

did before command and control D to make

a copy of this move this to the right

and this is going to be oops this is

going to be titled action items I'm

going to move this up top and down here

heading to again notes and we're going

to have gray hyphen and we're going to

have one bullet point one here we're

going to have a number here because

there's one 2 3 takeaways and for Action

items I'm going to have a check boox

back in our Command Center view we can

select the drop down menu and choose

this new note template we just created

to be the default for All Views within

notes database escape and now whenever

you press the new button a new note will

be generated with our template the three

section headers are automatically

populated and we can start taking notes

uh Jeff's intro to notion video This is

going to be a research note type because

you're watching this video right now

it's a nice video to learn from action

items uh like and uh subscribe so this

dashboard is more than enough to get you

started but it wouldn't be a Jeffs video

without a bonus tip so back in your life

OS page let's create a new page and

title it tasks view wait Jeff we already

have an upcoming tasks view in the

command center yes but I've only shown

you one database format in this video so

far and that's the table format back in

these this newly created task view we're

going to do this let's add an icon let's

use another check mark not the exact

same one as before uh personal

preference enter for/ bread Chrome and

hyphen hyen hyphen and now we're going

to give a heading to calendar view and

let's CH this blue hyphen hyphen Hyphen

for SLT table view database and we're

going to select the exact same task

database as before copy an existing view

all tasks except this time instead of

table under layout we're going to choose

the calendar view let's toggle off the

database title again let's click X here

and now oh let's click Three Dots and

make a full width so it's nice and big

now although this takes up more screen

real estate so you don't want this in

your command center this is a much more

visual representation of your upcoming

to-dos and we can even go a step further

click Three Dots here go go to

properties and show whether uh show the

uh done check mark property by clicking

the I icon here and I actually don't

want the task to disappear because I

want to see which task have been

completed in this calendar view and I

can even move the tasks to other dates

like so as needed now back in our

Command Center we can create a new

section uh command D to make a copy of

this section header name this quick

links enter

hyphen hyphen hyphen to add a divider

and use the at button to refer to the

task view we just created like so so

that we can quickly click in and view

our task in calendar format without

again cluttering up our main command

center page all right hopefully it's

clear to you now how most notion setups

are powered by databases you take some

time to build out a few core databases

once then you create dashboards and

Views tailored to your own individual

needs the possibilities are literally

endless I know I talk a bit fast so if

you have questions leave them down below

subscribe to see how I set up my notion

workspace see you on the next video in

the

meantime have a great one