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Is Notion Good?
By: Aidan O’Brien, CAPM; Editor: Dr. Michael J. Shick, MSPM, PMP, CSM
Hey there, welcome to my Notion Review.
As an MBA student with a CAPM certification and someone who relies heavily on productivity tools to manage a busy academic and professional life, I’ve spent extensive time exploring Notion. The Notion app offers advanced features and versatility, making it a powerful tool for planning, organizing, and various other purposes. Notion allows users to manage relational databases without needing a degree in computer science, emphasizing its user-friendly nature. Over the past year, I’ve integrated Notion into my daily workflow, using it for everything from managing coursework and group projects to personal development and
In this review, I’ll break down all the essential aspects of Notion, including its pros and cons, a quick verdict, and who it’s best suited for. I’ll also share my personal experiences and a detailed features breakdown, providing insights from the perspective of a seasoned productivity enthusiast and Notion power user.
By the end of this review, you’ll have a clear understanding of whether Notion is the right tool for you, helping you make an informed decision before committing your time and resources. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or someone looking to streamline their workflows, this review will highlight how Notion can enhance your productivity and organization.
Let’s dive in and explore whether Notion is the tool you’ve been looking for.
Pros and Cons of Notion
Notion Pros
- Highly Customizable: Notion’s flexibility is unparalleled, allowing you to design a workspace that fits your specific needs. Notion pages offer a customizable structure where you can collapse information for clarity and utilize powerful tables for
project management . Whether you’re managing projects, taking notes, or tracking goals, Notion can be tailored to your workflow with various content blocks such as text, images, databases, and more. This customization is invaluable for complex tasks that require detailed organization. However, some basic features like two-factor authentication are not available in the free version. - All-in-One Workspace: Notion consolidates multiple productivity functions into a single platform. It combines note-taking, task management, databases, and calendars, eliminating the need for multiple apps. Notion also allows users to create and organize to-do lists easily using various features like blocks and hotkeys. This integration streamlines your workflow and keeps all your information accessible and organized in one place. Notion can also be set up to manage project management tasks, including creating task lists, calendars, and content libraries.
- Real-Time Collaboration: Notion excels in team collaboration. Its real-time editing, commenting, and sharing features make it easy to work with team members. This ensures everyone stays updated and can contribute simultaneously, enhancing team productivity and communication.
- Cross-Platform Availability: Available on the web, desktop, and mobile, Notion ensures your notes and tasks are always accessible. This cross-platform support allows you to work seamlessly from anywhere, whether you’re at your desk or on the go.
- Templates and Integrations: Notion offers a wide variety of templates for different use cases, from
project management to habit tracking. It also integrates with numerous other tools, such as Google Calendar, Slack, and Zoho, enhancing its functionality and making it a central hub for your digital workspace.
Notion Cons
- Steep Learning Curve: The extensive customization options can be overwhelming for new users. Learning how to effectively use Notion and setting up your workspace to suit your needs requires a significant time investment. However, the initial effort pays off once you master the tool.
- Performance Issues: Some users report performance lags, particularly when working with large databases or extensive content. This can hinder productivity, especially during complex projects. The Notion team is aware of these issues and continually works on improvements, but it remains a potential drawback.
- Limited Offline Access: Notion’s offline capabilities are limited. While you can access recently opened pages offline, full functionality requires an internet connection. This can be a concern for users who need constant access to their notes and tasks.
- Overwhelming for Simple Needs: For users who prefer straightforward, minimalistic tools, Notion’s extensive features might feel like overkill. If you’re looking for a simple note-taking app, Notion might offer more than you need.
Quick Verdict – Is Notion Worth It?
Absolutely!
Notion stands out with its high level of customization, allowing users to tailor their workspace to their specific needs. Its all-in-one nature eliminates the need for multiple productivity tools, and its collaboration features are excellent for team projects. When you have Notion, you get:
- A highly customizable workspace that can adapt to various personal and professional needs.
- A unified tool that combines notes, tasks, databases, and calendars, streamlining your workflow and improving efficiency.
- Notion’s database management is so intuitive that it doesn’t require a degree in computer science, making it accessible to all users.
- With real-time collaboration capabilities, Notion makes it easy for you to collaborate with team members and ensures everyone is on the same page.
While the initial learning curve and occasional performance issues might be a concern, the benefits far outweigh these drawbacks.
Some users might find the offline access limitations inconvenient, but for those who primarily work online, this won’t be a major issue.
Notion offers different views of the project and features needed to manage unlimited projects, making it suitable for small businesses and individual creatives. Give it a try, especially since it offers a free version to start with.
Try Notion today and see how it can revolutionize your productivity. With a free tier available, you can explore its features without any financial commitment
Who is it For?
You’ll Love Notion If:
- Productivity Enthusiasts: If you enjoy optimizing your workflow and need a tool that can adapt to various productivity methodologies, Notion is perfect for you. Its flexibility allows you to create systems tailored to your personal and professional needs.
- Team Collaborators: For those who work in teams, Notion’s real-time collaboration features make it easy to share information, assign tasks, and keep everyone updated. It’s a great choice for project management and team communication. Companies with over 100 seats can benefit from a dedicated success manager who offers personalized assistance and guidance.
- Cross-Platform Users: If you need access to your notes and tasks across different devices, Notion’s availability on the web, desktop, and mobile ensures that you can stay productive from anywhere.
- Detail-Oriented Planners: Those who appreciate a high level of detail in their planning and organization will benefit from Notion’s extensive customization options. Whether you need detailed databases or simple to-do lists, Notion can handle it all. Creating and organizing to-do lists is easy with Notion’s blocks and hotkeys.
- Template Lovers: If you like starting with templates and building from there, Notion’s extensive library of templates for various use cases can save you time and inspire new ways to organize your information.
You Might Not Love Notion If:
- Simple Tool Seekers: If you prefer straightforward, easy-to-use tools without a steep learning curve, Notion might feel overwhelming. Its extensive features and customization options require time and effort to master.
- Offline Workers: Notion’s limited offline functionality can be a drawback if you often need to work without an internet connection. While you can access recently opened pages, full offline capabilities are lacking.
- Immediate Performance Needs: If you require instant performance without any lag, especially when working with large databases or complex setups, Notion’s occasional performance issues might be frustrating.
- Minimalists: For those who prefer minimalistic tools with fewer features, Notion’s extensive capabilities might feel like overkill.
Product Overview – What is a Notion Note-Taking App?
Notion is a powerful and versatile productivity tool designed to help individuals and teams organize their work and personal lives in a single, cohesive workspace. It combines note-taking, task management, databases, calendars, and more into one unified platform, eliminating the need for multiple separate tools.
The key benefit of Notion is its ability to offer an all-in-one solution for a wide range of productivity needs. Whether you’re managing personal to-do lists, collaborating on team projects, or tracking complex data sets, Notion provides the flexibility and customization to handle it all.
At its core, Notion is built around content blocks, which are modular elements such as text, images, tables, and more. These blocks can be combined and customized to create detailed and organized pages tailored to your specific needs. This modular approach allows users to build their workspace exactly how they want it, making Notion incredibly versatile.
What does Notion do?
Notion allows users to create pages that serve various functions, from simple notes to complex project management dashboards. Here are some of the primary functionalities:
- Note-Taking: Structure your thoughts, meeting notes, and research. Enhance your notes with rich media, including images, videos, and file attachments.
- Task Management: With Notion, you can create your to-do lists, set reminders, and manage your tasks with ease. Track progress and deadlines to ensure you stay on top of your commitments.
- Databases: Build and manage databases for anything you need to track, from project tasks to contact lists. View your data in multiple ways, such as tables, lists, calendars, and Kanban boards. Notion’s database management is designed to be user-friendly, eliminating the need for a degree in computer science.
- Calendars: Integrate with Google Calendar to sync your schedules and deadlines. View your tasks and events in a calendar format for better time management.
- Collaboration: Work with team members in real-time. Share pages, comment on tasks, and collaborate seamlessly on projects.
- Templates: To get started quickly and efficiently, use and customize templates for various purposes, such as
project management , personal planning, and habit tracking.
How is it Different from Competitors?
Notion stands out from other
Notion’s combination of features from different types of productivity tools—note-taking apps,
- Modular Design: The content block system allows for endless customization. Users can mix and match different block types to create unique layouts and workflows tailored to their specific requirements.
- Integrated Solution: Notion eliminates the need for multiple apps by combining notes, tasks, databases, and calendars in one place. This integration streamlines workflows and reduces the time spent switching between different tools.
- Real-Time Collaboration: Notion’s collaboration features enable teams to work together seamlessly. Real-time editing, commenting, and sharing capabilities ensure that everyone stays on the same page, enhancing team productivity.
- Rich Template Library: Notion offers a vast array of templates for different use cases, providing a solid starting point for users to build their workflows. These templates can be customized to fit individual needs, saving time and effort.
- Cross-Platform Support: Notion is available on the web, desktop, and mobile, ensuring that your data is always accessible.
Personal Opinion
Reasons I Recommend Notion:
- Flexibility and Customization: Notion’s flexibility is unparalleled. Notion’s content blocks allow me to create customized dashboards for
project management , coursework tracking, and personal development. The ability to use different templates and blocks has streamlined my workflow, making it incredibly efficient. Notion’s to-do list functionality is particularly useful for managing tasks and staying organized. - Enhanced Collaboration: The real-time collaboration features have been a game-changer for group projects and study groups. We can comment on tasks, share updates, and work together on documents without needing multiple tools. This seamless integration keeps our communication clear and our projects on track, which is crucial in a fast-paced academic environment. The page history function is also very helpful when tracking edits across the entire workspace or a specific page.
- Centralized Workspace: Having everything in one place has drastically reduced the time I spend switching between apps. Notion’s all-in-one nature means I can manage my tasks, notes, and databases without leaving the app. For instance, I integrate Notion with my Google Calendar to keep track of deadlines and appointments, ensuring I never miss a crucial date.
- Continuous Improvements: Notion’s frequent updates and new features show that the developers are committed to improving the user experience. The ongoing support and addition of new capabilities have made it a continuously evolving tool that adapts to users’ needs.
What You Might Not Like About Notion
- Learning Curve: The initial setup and learning how to use Notion effectively can be daunting. It took me a few weeks to get comfortable with all its features and customize it to my liking. However, once you get past the learning curve, the benefits are substantial. Notion’s database management is designed to be user-friendly, eliminating the need for a degree in computer science.
- Limited Offline Access: Notion’s offline capabilities are somewhat limited. While you can access recently opened pages offline, the overall functionality is reduced without an internet connection. This can be inconvenient if you need constant access to your notes and tasks without reliable internet.
- Overwhelming for Simple Needs: For users who prefer minimalistic tools with fewer features, Notion’s extensive capabilities might feel like overkill. If you’re looking for a straightforward note-taking app, Notion might offer more than you need.
Personal Experience
Using Notion has revolutionized how I organize my academic and professional life. As an MBA student with CAPM certification, I juggle multiple projects and assignments that require management over long periods of time. Notion’s ability to integrate with Google Calendar and its standalone app, Notion Calendar, is amazing. It has been invaluable in keeping track of my deadlines and meetings. The calendar integration ensures that all my important dates are synchronized, providing a holistic view of my schedule.
I use Notion widgets on my phone to access my to-do lists and notes quickly. The ease of creating and organizing to-do lists within Notion, using features like blocks and hotkeys, makes it simple to manage tasks efficiently. This accessibility means I can capture ideas and update tasks on the go, ensuring I stay productive even when I’m away from my desk. The widgets provide a snapshot of my priorities, helping me stay focused throughout the day.
One of Notion’s most powerful aspects is its ability to integrate with other tools I use daily. For instance, I have integrated Notion with Zoho, which allows me to automate various processes and reduce manual data entry. This automation has saved me countless hours and minimized errors in my workflow. Furthermore, I use Google Chrome extensions to clip web content directly into Notion, making research and information gathering seamless.
During a recent capstone project, my team and I used Notion to create a shared workspace where we could track our progress, assign tasks, and collaborate on documents. The real-time collaboration features ensured that everyone was on the same page, and the
In another instance, I used Notion to set up a personal knowledge management system, often referred to as a “Second Brain.” This system helps me capture, organize, and retrieve information efficiently, enhancing my learning and productivity. The ability to create linked databases and use advanced search features has made this system incredibly effective.
Overall, Notion’s versatility and integration capabilities have made it an indispensable tool in my academic and professional life. It has streamlined my workflows, enhanced my productivity, and allowed me to manage my projects with greater efficiency.
Integrating Notion with Zoho can supercharge your productivity. Try Zoho to automate tasks and workflows, making your work processes more efficient and seamless.
Features Breakdown
Key Features of Notion
Content Blocks
- What is it? Notion’s fundamental building blocks include text, images, lists, tables, databases, and more. Each block can be customized and combined to create detailed and organized pages.
- Why is it special? The modular nature of content blocks allows you to build your workspace exactly how you want it, making it incredibly versatile for different types of projects. You can mix and match blocks to create anything from simple notes to complex dashboards, offering unparalleled flexibility in how you organize and display information.
- Experience: As I juggle various projects, assignments, and personal tasks, I’ve found content blocks invaluable. I’ve created customized pages for each course, incorporating lecture notes, reading lists, and assignment trackers, all seamlessly integrated into one workspace. This modularity has allowed me to tailor each page to the specific needs of each course or project.
Templates
- What is it? Notion offers a vast library of templates for various purposes, such as
project management , habit tracking, meeting notes, and more. - Why is it special? Templates provide a quick and easy way to get started with Notion, saving you time and giving you a solid foundation to build upon. They are designed to cover a wide range of use cases and can be customized to fit your specific requirements.
- Experience: I frequently use templates as a starting point for new projects. For instance, the
project management template helped me quickly set up a comprehensive dashboard, which I then customized further to fit my specific requirements. This has been particularly useful for group projects, allowing us to hit the ground running and focus on the work rather than setting up.
Databases
- What is it? Notion’s database feature allows you to create and manage structured data, such as task lists, content calendars, and CRM systems.
- Why is it special? Databases can be viewed in multiple ways (e.g., table, list, calendar, board), providing a dynamic and flexible approach to data management. This versatility makes it easy to track and organize complex information.
- Experience: I’ve created several databases to manage my tasks, track content ideas, and organize contacts. For example, my content calendar database helps me plan and schedule blog posts and social media updates, with different views for a calendar overview and detailed task lists. The ability to switch between these views has made it easier to visualize and manage my workload.
Real-Time Collaboration
- What is it? Notion enables real-time collaboration, allowing multiple users to edit and comment on pages simultaneously.
- Why is it special? This feature makes it easy to work with team members, share updates, and keep everyone on the same page, enhancing team productivity. Comments and mentions keep communication clear and focused, which is essential for effective collaboration.
- Experience: During group projects, we used Notion to share information, assign tasks, and provide feedback in real-time. This seamless collaboration kept our projects moving forward efficiently and ensured that everyone was always up to date. The ability to see who made changes and when was particularly useful for maintaining accountability.
Integrations
- What is it? Notion integrates with various other tools, such as Slack, Google Drive, and Trello, enhancing its functionality and allowing you to connect your existing workflows.
- Why is it special? Integrations enable you to streamline your work processes by bringing all your tools and data into one place, reducing the need to switch between different apps. This centralization can significantly enhance productivity and efficiency.
- Experience: I’ve linked my Notion workspace with Google Drive for easy access to documents and with Slack for quick team communication. Additionally, I use Notion’s integration with Zoho to automate various processes, such as syncing tasks and updating databases. These integrations have streamlined my workflow, saving time and reducing the chance of errors.
Cross-Platform Availability
- What is it? Notion is available on the web, desktop, and mobile, ensuring your notes and tasks are always accessible.
- Why is it special? This cross-platform support allows you to stay productive from anywhere, whether you’re at your desk or on the go. Your data is synchronized across all devices, ensuring you have the latest information at your fingertips.
- Experience: I use Notion on my desktop for detailed planning and on my phone for quick note-taking and task management. The seamless synchronization across devices has ensured I always have access to my important information. The mobile app’s widgets provide a snapshot of my tasks and notes, allowing me to stay organized even when I’m not at my computer.
Notion Calendar
- What is it? The Notion Calendar is an integrated feature that allows you to plan and manage your schedules, tasks, and deadlines within Notion’s versatile workspace.
- Why is it special? Notion Calendar provides a comprehensive and visually appealing way to keep track of your important dates and events. Unlike traditional calendar apps, Notion Calendar integrates seamlessly with your notes, tasks, and databases, allowing you to link calendar events directly with relevant pages and projects. This integration offers a holistic view of your schedule, ensuring that all related information is easily accessible in one place.
- Experience: Using the Notion Calendar has significantly improved how I manage my academic and personal schedules. I can create calendar entries for class schedules, assignment deadlines, and personal appointments, all within the same platform where I take notes and manage tasks. The ability to view my calendar in various formats (daily, weekly, monthly) and link events to specific project pages or databases has made it easier to stay organized and on top of my commitments. Sync your schedules effortlessly and stay organized with Notion Calendar. Upgrade to a Notion paid account for advanced calendar features and integrate all your planning needs into one powerful tool!
Widgets
- What is it? Notion offers widgets for mobile devices, providing quick access to your notes and tasks.
- Why is it special? Widgets allow you to view and manage your most important information without opening the app. They provide at-a-glance updates and shortcuts to frequently used pages, enhancing your productivity on the go.
- Experience: I use Notion widgets on my phone to keep track of my to-do lists and notes. These widgets provide a quick overview of my priorities, helping me stay focused throughout the day. Whether I need to jot down a quick idea or check off a completed task, the widgets make it easy to stay productive, even when I’m away from my desk.
Unlock all the advanced templates with a Notion paid account and streamline your workflow today!
Conclusion
Final Verdict – Should You Use Notion?
Notion is a game-changer for those seeking a flexible and highly customizable productivity tool.
Notion’s database management is so intuitive that it doesn’t require a degree in computer science, making it accessible to all users. You can tailor your workspace to fit your specific needs, which means it can evolve with you as your projects and requirements change. This adaptability makes Notion an invaluable tool for both individuals and teams.
While the initial learning curve can be steep, the investment in time pays off immensely. Once you familiarize yourself with its features and customization options, Notion becomes an intuitive and indispensable part of your workflow. The performance issues, such as occasional lags with large databases, are minor inconveniences compared to the overall benefits it provides.
The collaborative features in Notion are exceptional. Real-time editing, commenting, and sharing capabilities streamline team communication and
One area where Notion excels is its rich template library. Whether you’re looking for project management frameworks, personal development trackers, or content calendars, Notion’s templates provide a robust starting point that you can customize to suit your needs. This saves time and ensures that you’re using best practices from the get-go.
I recommend giving Notion a try. Start with the free version to explore its capabilities and see how it fits into your workflow. If you find it as indispensable as I do, the premium subscription is a worthy investment in your productivity and organization.
Unlock all the advanced templates with a Notion paid account and streamline your workflow today!
Try Notion AI today and elevate your productivity with intelligent suggestions and automation. With its AI-powered features, you can experience the future of work.
About the author: Aidan O’Brien, CAPM, is a