Hey there, if you’ve ever heard about Notion being the perfect tool for personal growth but don’t know where to start, you’re in the right place. I’m here to guide you through the basics of Notion, from signing up to navigating the app.
No need to worry about feeling overwhelmed – I’ll introduce you to 4 simple use cases to kickstart your Notion journey. Start with these and gradually delve into more advanced features as you progress. Just like Notion itself, your personal growth journey can be tailored to suit your unique needs and goals. 🚀💡
Before we start, a simple test to see if Notion is your perfect partner!
Do You Crave Customization?
Do You Need to Organize Your Personal Life?
Do You Love Note-Taking and Mood Boards?
Are You Feeling Overwhelmed by Tasks?
Are You Craving a Minimalist Personal Space?
If you’re nodding along to some of these questions, guess what? Notion might just be your new best friend! 🎉 Let’s dive in together and explore this incredible tool!
What is Notion?
To put it simply, Notion is a versatile desktop and mobile application designed to be your one-stop workspace for all things productivity. It covers everything from note-taking and document management to project planning and task organization. Notion consolidates it all into one user-friendly platform (pretty amazing, right?).
To fellow minimalism enthusiasts (like me), Notion is tailor-made for us. It boasts a clean and highly customizable structure, allowing you to transform your Notion workspace into your personal haven. If you enjoy curating your Pinterest boards, think of Notion as the perfect blend of that with documentation tools like Google Docs. It’s a motivational game-changer, isn’t it?
The best part – It’s absolutely free for personal use and offering unlimited storage. Plus, Notion now boasts AI functionality, designed to refine your writing. So, if you’re looking to tidy up those cluttered notes, you’re in for a treat!
How to sign up for Notion?
Alright, let’s get you on board with Notion. Here’s a straightforward step-by-step guide to sign up:
Head to Notion’s signup page and use your email address.
Wait for Notion to send a verification link to your email – once received, just copy and paste it.
Next, set up your name and password.
Provide a bit more information about yourself.
Decide whether you’re using Notion for team collaboration, student or personal use.
Congratulations! You’re now good to go with Notion!
How to Navigate Notion?
After you signed up, the first thing come up to you will be the notion getting to started page. Notion have prepared you some basic guidelines on using the keys in Notion.
Let’s take a look at the navigation in Notion:
Key Navigation #1 Navigation bar
Navigate between pages and subpages.
Key Navigation #2 Page
You can add a new page by clicking on the “ + Add a page” button
Key Navigation #3 Sub Page
You can add a subpage in two ways:
Drag a newpage and put it into an existing page
Simply click the “+” symbol next to the page and quickly add a sub-page inside
How to Use Notion?
Notion may seem like it has a ton of keys and tools, but no need to panic! In fact, it’s all about two main functions that can work wonders and create amazing things. With the dynamic duo of Notion Blocks and Notion Database, you can achieve 2 goals: (1) create a page with all the functions you want and (2) craft a page that neatly presents and sorts out all the info you’ve got.
Item | Definition | Keys |
Notion Blocks | Think of Notion Blocks as the building blocks of your Notion workspace. Each Block is like a digital Lego piece, and you can use them to create different types of content. They’re like the individual items you place on a page. | Text Headers Images To-do Lists Toggle Lists Tables Quotes Dividers Callouts |
Notion Database | A Notion Database is like a smart, organized collection of information. It’s a structured way to store and manage data. Imagine it as a digital table or spreadsheet where you can input, filter, and sort data. | Table layout Board layout Timeline layout Calendar layout List layout Gallery layout |
In simpler terms, Blocks make up the content, and Databases organize and manage that content. As Notion database can be a complicated concept, learn more from Notion Help Centre on database basics.
4 Go-to Notion functions that Beginners can start by
I fully understand that it is difficult for beginners to master ALL Notion functions in Day 1! That’s why here are 4 easy and straightforward yet useful functions that you can try out and have a gasp on Notion!
Take me as an example – I have recently started learning Spanish through Duolingo and want to sign up for Spanish classes. Let’s see how I can stay focused on my goal using Notion!
To-Do List (Basic Version)
Use Case: Perfect for keeping tabs on those quick, urgent tasks that pop up now and then, instead of the regular weekly stuff. It’s all about managing those one-off to-dos with ease!
Click “/” and select the to-do list block
You can then track your tasks using a check-list format
To-Do List (Advanced Version)
Use Case: Suitable for your ongoing, weekly tasks – the ones that keep coming back. It’s ideal for keeping track of your schedule for the next few months, helping you categorize and systematically check off your assignments. Stay organized effortlessly!
Click “/“ and select Table View
Add new database as data source
You can change the property of table columns such as turning it into category or checkbox
Calendar
Use Case: Perfect for those who love their trusty schedule book! Get a calendar view of your tasks, making it not just a task tracker but also an ideal way to manage your lesson or meeting schedules.
Click “/“ and select calendar view
Click “Add a item” to add scheduled items
Enter your schedule
Note-taking Page
Use Case: It’s incredibly versatile! Whether you’re taking notes during lessons, diving into a book, or learning something new, this tool helps you organize your thoughts. Plus, it adds a multimedia touch to refresh your learning experience.
Add video block to insert materials
You can also embed a link to external webpages
You can add bullet points for taking notes
You can use change the format such as adding heading tags to organize your notes
Bonus: Simple Ways to Make Your Notion Space Aesthetic
Feel like your page is too plain? I’ve got some easy tricks to help you make your page totally you! Just toss in your fave pics, the images you dig – totally customizable.
Add a Cover
Cick “Add cover”
Upload the images you want to decorate your page
Drag image to reposition images
Add Image/GIF
Click embed image and select GIPHY
You can use the suitable gifs to decorate your page
Reorganize Blocks
You can drag the text block and relocate to other place
Wait until you can see the blue vertical line next to the block to reposition the blocks
Golden Rules for Using Notion
When I first started using Notion, I totally get it – it can be a bit overwhelming. All those stunning templates out there can make you wonder where to even begin, right? To keep your Notion journey on track, remember these friendly tips:
Keep it Simple: Just stick to the pages you use often. Minimalism is the way to go!
Style Matters: A clean and good-looking layout can make you want to use Notion more often. It’s like motivation in design form.
Templates Are Your Friends: Feel free to start with pre-made templates, but don’t be shy to customize them to your liking.
No Stress: Remember, you can use Notion for the little things in life. It’s not just about big tasks, it’s about life’s little joys too!
Have Fun: Think of Notion as your creative playground. It’s not just for work; you can use it to track hobbies, dreams, and whatever else makes you smile. Let relax and enjoy!
Resources for Notion Beginners
I really hope this guide has sparked your curiosity about Notion and given you a great starting point for your journey. It’s totally normal to feel a bit lost when you dive into something new – we’ve all been there. Here are some handy resources to help you get the hang of the basics in Notion:
Notionway – useful templates and guides
Thomas Frank – a lot of informative videos
Notion Official Guides – authentic tutorials published by Notion Official
And if you’re into exploring self-growth templates in Notion and mastering the art of personalizing it to your taste, stay tuned to NotionNook blogs!
I’m going to be serving up video tutorials, a comprehensive Notion Handbook covering all the function keys, and a bunch of other cool Notion insights. So, stay with us on your personal growth journey, and let’s become the best versions of ourselves together! 🌱🚀💪
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