How to use Notion?

Leon Chase

• 5 min read

Notion is a versatile productivity tool that combines note-taking, task management, databases, and collaboration features into one platform. It’s widely used for personal organization, project management, team collaboration, and knowledge bases. Below is a comprehensive guide on how to use Notion effectively:

1. Getting Started with Notion

Step 1: Sign Up

  • Go to Notion's website and create an account. You can sign up using your email or via Google or Apple accounts.
  • Once signed in, you’ll be taken to your workspace, which is the central hub for all your content.

Step 2: Understand the Interface

  • Sidebar: The left-hand sidebar contains your pages, databases, and templates. You can organize your workspace here.
  • Main Content Area: This is where you create and edit pages, databases, and other content.
  • Toolbar: At the top of the page, you’ll find tools for formatting text, adding blocks, and collaborating with others.

2. Creating Pages

Pages are the building blocks of Notion. You can think of them as documents, but they can also contain sub-pages, databases, and more.

Step 1: Create a New Page

  • Click the "+" button in the sidebar or type / in the main content area to create a new page.
  • Give your page a title (e.g., "To-Do List", "Meeting Notes", "Project Plan").

Step 2: Add Content to Your Page

  • Text: Start typing to add text. Use Markdown shortcuts like *italic*, **bold**, and - bullet points for quick formatting.

  • Blocks: Type / to bring up a menu of block types (e.g., headings, to-do lists, images, tables, etc.). Select the block type you want to add.

    Example:

    • /heading → Adds a heading
    • /todo → Adds a to-do list
    • /image → Uploads an image

Step 3: Organize Pages

  • Sub-Pages: You can nest pages within other pages by dragging a page onto another page in the sidebar or using the + button inside a page.
  • Favorites: Right-click on a page in the sidebar and select "Add to Favorites" to pin it to the top of the sidebar for quick access.

3. Using Databases

Databases in Notion are powerful tools for organizing information. They function like spreadsheets but with added flexibility and functionality.

Step 1: Create a Database

  • Inside a page, type /database and choose the type of database you want (e.g., table, list, board, calendar, gallery).

    Example:

    • Table View: A spreadsheet-like view.
    • Board View: A Kanban-style board (great for task management).
    • Calendar View: A calendar layout for scheduling tasks or events.
    • Gallery View: A visual grid layout (useful for portfolios or image-heavy content).

Step 2: Add Properties

  • Each entry in a database can have properties like tags, due dates, checkboxes, etc. These properties help you filter, sort, and organize your data.
  • To add a property, click the "Properties" button in the top-right corner of the database and select the type of property you want to add (e.g., text, date, checkbox, select).

Step 3: Filter and Sort

  • Use the filter and sort options to customize how your data is displayed.
    • Filter: Show only items that meet certain criteria (e.g., tasks with a due date today).
    • Sort: Arrange items by priority, due date, or any other property.

4. Task Management with To-Do Lists

Notion is great for managing tasks and projects. You can create simple to-do lists or more complex project management systems.

Step 1: Create a To-Do List

  • Inside a page, type /todo to create a to-do list.
  • Add tasks by pressing Enter after each item.
  • Check off tasks by clicking the checkbox next to each item.

Step 2: Add Due Dates and Tags

  • You can add due dates and tags to tasks by converting your to-do list into a database.
    • Highlight the to-do list and click "Turn into" > "Database".
    • Now, you can add properties like due dates, priorities, and tags to each task.

Step 3: Use Kanban Boards

  • If you prefer a visual task management system, convert your database into a board view.
    • This will display your tasks as cards that you can drag between columns (e.g., "To Do", "In Progress", "Done").
    • You can filter and sort tasks based on their properties (e.g., due date, priority).

5. Collaborating with Others

Notion is designed for collaboration, making it easy to work with teams.

Step 1: Share a Page

  • Click the "Share" button in the top-right corner of any page.
  • Enter the email addresses of people you want to share the page with.
  • Choose their permission level:
    • Can edit: Allows collaborators to make changes.
    • Can comment: Allows collaborators to leave comments but not edit.
    • Can view: Read-only access.

Step 2: Leave Comments

  • Highlight any text or block and click the comment icon to leave a comment.
  • Collaborators can reply to comments, and you can resolve them once the discussion is complete.

Step 3: @Mention People

  • Type @ followed by a collaborator’s name to mention them in a comment or task. They’ll receive a notification.

6. Templates

Notion offers a variety of pre-built templates to help you get started quickly.

Step 1: Access Templates

  • When creating a new page, click the "Templates" button in the top-right corner.
  • Browse through the available templates (e.g., meeting notes, project trackers, habit trackers) and select one that fits your needs.

Step 2: Create Your Own Templates

  • Customize a page to your liking, then click the "Template" button in the top-right corner and select "New Template".
  • Name your template and save it for future use.

7. Integrations

Notion integrates with many third-party apps to enhance its functionality.

Step 1: Connect Apps

  • Go to Settings & Members > Integrations.
  • Connect apps like Google Drive, Slack, Trello, GitHub, and more.

Step 2: Embed Content

  • You can embed content from other apps directly into Notion pages.
    • For example, type /embed and paste a link to a YouTube video, Google Doc, or Figma file.

8. Advanced Features

Relations and Rollups

  • Relations: Link two databases together. For example, you can link a "Projects" database to a "Tasks" database so that each task is associated with a specific project.
  • Rollups: Aggregate data from related databases. For example, you can calculate the total number of tasks or the percentage of completed tasks for each project.

Formulas

  • Use formulas to perform calculations within databases. For example, you can create a formula to calculate the number of days until a task’s due date.

Linked Databases

  • Create multiple views of the same database. For example, you can have a table view of your tasks and a Kanban board view of the same data.

9. Tips for Using Notion Effectively

Tip 1: Keep It Simple

  • Start with basic pages and gradually add complexity as you become more comfortable with Notion.

Tip 2: Use Templates

  • Don’t reinvent the wheel. Use Notion’s built-in templates or create your own for recurring tasks or projects.

Tip 3: Organize Your Workspace

  • Use folders, sub-pages, and favorites to keep your workspace organized and easy to navigate.

Tip 4: Automate Repetitive Tasks

  • Use databases, relations, and rollups to automate repetitive tasks like tracking progress or calculating metrics.

Tip 5: Experiment with Views

  • Try different database views (table, board, calendar, gallery) to find the one that works best for your workflow.

10. Common Use Cases for Notion

Personal Organization

  • Daily Planner: Create a daily planner with to-do lists, habit trackers, and journal entries.
  • Knowledge Base: Build a personal wiki to store notes, ideas, and resources.

Team Collaboration

  • Project Management: Use Kanban boards and databases to manage team projects and track progress.
  • Meeting Notes: Create a shared page for meeting notes and action items.

Content Creation

  • Blog Post Ideas: Use a database to brainstorm and organize blog post ideas.
  • Editorial Calendar: Create a calendar view to schedule and track content publication.

Learning and Education

  • Study Notes: Organize study materials, flashcards, and quizzes in a single place.
  • Course Tracker: Track your progress through online courses or certifications.

11. Conclusion

Notion is a highly flexible tool that can be adapted to a wide range of use cases, from personal productivity to team collaboration. By mastering the basics—like creating pages, using databases, and collaborating with others—you can unlock the full potential of Notion and tailor it to your specific needs.

Whether you’re managing tasks, organizing notes, or collaborating with a team, Notion provides the tools you need to stay organized and productive. With practice and experimentation, you can build workflows that suit your unique style and requirements.