Benedikt KickBenny Builds It is ad-free and reader-supported. If you buy through my links, I may earn a commission.
Notion's flexibility is both its greatest strength and its biggest challenge. With endless customization options, it's easy to feel overwhelmed, especially when getting started.
Below you’ll find five practical tips I’ve gathered from five years of using Notion, which I regularly share with other users.
1. Stop Overengineering & Start Using
Perfectionists (like myself at times) often spend weeks planning the perfect Notion setup before ever using it. This approach rarely works.
The most effective systems are built through use, not planning. Start with something simple, use it daily, and improve and iterate on it based on real experiences and needs.
The best workflows are the ones that help you achieve a specific goal quickly, not the ones that keep you endlessly tweaking within your workspace.
When in doubt, simplicity beats complexity.
2. Avoid Monster Dashboards
Those everything-on-one-page kind of setups and templates often look impressive in screenshots, but often fail in practice.
Visual overload is real. Too much information on a single page makes it harder to focus and process what matters. These all-in-one dashboards often appear in template promotions because they look great at first glance, but very often that expectation doesn’t materialize when actually using them.
The most effective Notion pages show only what is absolutely necessary. Reducing clutter creates a better experience in almost every scenario.
3. Get Inspired & Use What Already Works
Just because Notion allows you to build everything from scratch doesn't mean you should reinvent the wheel every single time.
Look at tools and systems that already work well and adapt and integrate those proven concepts to your Notion workspace.
For example, I organize my entire life in Notion, which involves many different pages, databases, and systems. Taking inspiration from my iPhone’s app library — which shows all installed apps in one simple overview — I implemented something similar in my Notion workspace.
Applying what works elsewhere often moves workflows in the right direction faster than starting from zero.
4. Make Notion Your Brain Dump Inbox
Of all the Notion workflows and systems I’ve created and used over the last few years, using Notion as my brain dump inbox has probably been the most impactful.
The concept is simple: whenever an important thought, task, or idea comes to my mind throughout the day, I immediately capture it in a dedicated Notion inbox. This frees up mental space while ensuring nothing gets forgotten.
That’s why a simple yet effective inbox system is an essential component of my Notion workspace organization system called Clarity OS.
Is Your Notion Workspace a Mess?
The Ultimate 🗃️ Workspace Organization System & 🧠 Second Brain for Notion
5. Just Don’t Use Notion (Sometimes)
Notion is very powerful, but it's not the right tool for every single use case.
While Notion can replace many apps and tools, forcing everything into it just for consistency's sake often backfires. Sometimes another tool — or even just using pen and paper — simply makes more sense.
Embrace simplicity and use what actually works. Don't let anyone convince you that you're missing out by not doing everything in Notion. The right approach is the one that helps you get things done efficiently.
In Summary
The key principle behind all these tips is the same: build systems that work for you, not against you.
Start simple, iterate based on actual use, and don't be afraid to look outside Notion for inspiration — or even alternatives when something else simply works better. The goal is productivity, not perfection.
Feel free to check out my video about these tips and let me know in the comments if they resonated with you at all!
Helpful Updates. No Fluff.
🎁 Weekly $1 Pro Template Giveaway
🎉 Exclusive Launch Discounts
🔔 Content & Template Updates
💡 Notion Tips & Tricks
✋ No spam, ever. Unsubscribe anytime.