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Notion

The all-in-one workspace.

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4.9 / 5.0 Rating

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Pros

  • Infinite flexibility
  • Strong community
  • Free for personal use

Cons

  • Can be slow
  • Overwhelming for some

First Impressions

Notion is the lego set of productivity. It replaces Google Docs, Trello, and Asana. The AI integration is just the cherry on top.

Best Feature: Flexibility

You can build anything from a simple to-do list to a complex CRM.

The Verdict

The operating system for modern startups.

The Real Talk

What it actually solves

"Your work is scattered across Google Docs, Trello, and Excel. Notion unifies it into one OS."

Who it's NOT for

People who want a simple, rigid to-do list (it requires setup). Teams that need heavy Excel-style calculation.

💸

Pricing Reality

Free for individuals. The 'AI' add-on is a separate $10/mo cost per user, even on paid plans.

When it breaks

  • Analysis Paralysis: Spending more time building the dashboard than doing the work.
  • Mobile Lag: The mobile app can be slower than native to-do apps.

If this isn't for you, try:

The First 60 Minutes

Action Plan

0-10m

Slash Commands

Forget the mouse. Type '/' to create headings, tables, and lists. Type '/turn' to convert a block into a page.

10-20m

Database 101

Create a 'Table' database. Add a 'Status' property. This is your new Task manager. Don't over-engineer it yet.

20-40m

The Daily Page

Create a template button for 'New Day'. Have it auto-generate your to-do list and journal headers.

40-60m

Q&A AI

Import a PDF or long note. Press Space to activate AI and ask: 'What are the action items in this doc?'

The Hero Prompt

The Meeting Summarizer
Extract all action items from this transcript, assign them to a person if mentioned, and format as a checkbox list.

Notion AI has context of the current page, making it perfect for extraction tasks.

Avoid This

  • Spending 7 days building a 'Second Brain' before writing a single note.
  • Using it for heavy spreadsheet math (Use Excel/Sheets for that).

⌘ Power Shortcuts

Quick Find / SearchCmd+P
Link to Page[[
Command Menu/