SUMMARY

Simon, a freelance creative, tours his Simplified Notion Life OS template, demonstrating how to build a digital second brain for managing tasks, projects, goals, life areas, and time tracking to simplify organization and boost productivity.

STATEMENTS

• Notion can be simple when you know how to get started, helping users stay organized amid information overload.
• A digital second brain in Notion captures tasks, projects, goals, knowledge, habits, and reflections to focus on what matters.
• Many users feel overwhelmed by Notion's complexity or lack time to build custom systems, making pre-built templates valuable.
• Essential elements of a second brain include task inboxes, project and life area databases, goal setting, notes and clippings, habit trackers, and a stoic journal.
• Daily and weekly management requires an inbox for inputs and an automated weekly review system to track progress.
• Templates should include calendars and yearly summaries for viewing tasks across time.
• Duplicating a Notion template involves accessing the public version, clicking duplicate, selecting workspace, and renaming as needed.
• Onboarding with templates requires following guides section by section to build familiarity without starting from scratch.
• Navigation in Notion improves with dashboard buttons and linked views rather than relying solely on the sidebar.
• The system uses dashboards and databases for an app-like experience, with system databases at the bottom to avoid accidental deletions.
• To clear sample data, access system databases and delete or rename items without breaking linked views.
• On mobile, navigation buttons on the right side facilitate easier access on iPhone compared to sidebar scrolling.
• Organize life into areas first, using Tiago Forte's PARA method: Projects, Areas, Resources, Archives.
• Life areas are long-term responsibilities; create new ones via buttons that auto-set review frequencies.
• Brain dumping involves capturing all mental tasks into the system, preferably linked to life areas for context.
• Use the priority matrix from Stephen Covey to categorize tasks as important/urgent, important/not urgent, etc., guiding actions like delegation or deletion.
• Tasks can have due dates, deadlines, and links to projects or areas; mark as complete to filter them out.
• Weekly reviews involve checking life areas and projects, marking them reviewed to update due dates automatically.
• Projects are short-term efforts with start/end dates, review frequencies, and linked tasks for timeline tracking.
• Goal setting starts with wheel of life reflection to rate life satisfaction, followed by yearly reflections on wins/losses.
• Goals should be phrased as achieved outcomes, linked to years, deadlines, obstacles, and milestone tasks.
• Time tracking uses a dedicated database with start/end session buttons, aggregating time across tasks and projects via formulas.
• Completed items archive automatically, filtering out of active views while preserving in system bins for cleanup.
• Habits and journals integrate prompted reflections; future videos cover deeper implementation.
• The complete Notion Life OS expands on the simplified version with CRM, content management, and trackers for workouts, meals, budgets.

IDEAS

• Starting with a pre-built template saves hours of setup, allowing quick adaptation to personal needs rather than building from zero.
• A second brain isn't just storage but a living system requiring habits like weekly reviews to prevent it from becoming cluttered chaos.
• Mobile-optimized navigation with right-side buttons transforms Notion from a clunky app into an intuitive tool on smaller screens.
• Brain dumping directly into life areas ensures tasks gain immediate context, reducing the mental load of categorization later.
• The priority matrix turns vague to-do lists into actionable quadrants, forcing decisions on what to do, schedule, delegate, or delete.
• Automated review reminders in projects and areas mimic a personal assistant, nudging consistent maintenance without manual calendars.
• Phrasing goals as already achieved blends psychological motivation with realism, making ambitious targets feel attainable.
• Time tracking embedded in tasks aggregates effortlessly, revealing hidden time sinks in projects without separate apps.
• Archiving completed items keeps active views clean, turning the system into a forward-focused engine rather than a historical dump.
• Wheel of life visualization highlights imbalance, guiding goal-setting toward neglected areas like personal growth over thriving ones.
• PARA method simplifies knowledge management by categorizing into actionable projects, ongoing areas, future resources, and dormant archives.
• Formulas in Notion can roll up data like total project time from task sessions, creating powerful reports without coding.
• Onboarding playlists and online guides evolve with Notion updates, ensuring templates remain relevant without user rebuilds.
• Stoic journaling prompts build reflective habits, turning a productivity tool into a tool for personal flourishing.
• Deleting unused views customizes the interface, making the system feel bespoke without altering core databases.
• Yearly reflections on events as wins or losses distill lessons, informing goals that align with life's true north star.

INSIGHTS

• True organization emerges not from complexity but from simple, linked systems that mirror life's natural categories, freeing mental energy for creation.
• Weekly reviews act as a ritualistic reset, transforming potential overwhelm into rhythmic progress by surfacing overlooked priorities.
• Linking tasks to goals creates a cascading alignment, where daily actions propel long-term fulfillment rather than scattered busyness.
• Time tracking reveals the illusion of productivity, quantifying effort to optimize deep work over shallow distractions.
• Reflection via tools like the wheel of life uncovers hidden dissatisfactions, redirecting energy toward holistic human flourishing.
• Pre-built templates democratize sophisticated systems, empowering non-experts to achieve second-brain mastery without steep learning curves.
• Archiving as a deliberate act preserves history while curating focus, embodying minimalism in digital life.
• The PARA framework abstracts chaos into clarity, treating information as an ecosystem where resources nourish ongoing responsibilities.
• Goal phrasing as achievements leverages cognitive bias toward completion, bridging inspiration with executable steps.
• Mobile adaptations highlight technology's role in seamless integration, making productivity portable and habitual across devices.
• Habit trackers and journals infuse productivity tools with philosophy, fostering not just efficiency but enduring personal growth.
• Automated formulas in Notion exemplify AI-like intelligence in simple apps, automating insights for better decision-making.

QUOTES

• "Notion can be simple when you know how to get started, right?"
• "A second brain is also a place to hold knowledge. So, we're going to want somewhere to put all of our notes and clippings and be able to link that back to what we're doing."
• "The priority matrix is one of the key strategies that you need to keep in mind, I think, when you want to get organized."
• "Good goal setting is probably the biggest thing I learned in the last couple of years that's had the biggest impact on my life. Not just writing a goal and trying to hit it, but doing it based on clear reflection."
• "I like to write goals as something that I've already achieved and they should be believable enough to get there but inspirational enough to really take you somewhere."
• "This is the power of time tracking using these epic formulas. I hope you enjoy them."
• "Without a clear focus of a north star on where you want to be taking your life, all of this stuff can still be busy work going nowhere."

HABITS

• Conduct a weekly review every Friday for 30 minutes to check tasks, projects, life areas, and add new items.
• Perform a brain dump regularly by capturing all mental tasks into linked life areas for immediate organization.
• Use prompted stoic journaling to reflect on daily actions and build processes that sustain the second brain.
• Track habits daily via the dashboard, logging activities like reading to monitor progress over time.
• Set yearly reflections at year-end, categorizing events as wins or losses to inform goal planning.
• Phrase goals as achieved outcomes during setup to maintain motivational realism.
• Mark life areas and projects as reviewed weekly to automate reminders and maintain momentum.

FACTS

• Tiago Forte's PARA method organizes information into Projects (short-term efforts), Areas (long-term responsibilities), Resources (topics for future), and Archives (inactive items).
• Stephen Covey's priority matrix divides tasks into four quadrants: important/urgent (do now), important/not urgent (schedule), urgent/not important (delegate), neither (delete).
• Notion's free accounts limit users to one chart per workspace, affecting visualizations like the wheel of life.
• David Allen's Getting Things Done methodology influences task capture and processing in second brains.
• Cal Newport's Deep Work principles underpin scheduling for important but non-urgent tasks.
• Notion templates can be duplicated via public links, integrating into personal workspaces without coding.
• Over thousands of users have adopted Simon's complete Notion Life OS for comprehensive organization.

REFERENCES

• Simplified Notion Life OS template at bettercreating.com.
• Tiago Forte's PARA method from Fort Labs blog.
• Getting Things Done by David Allen.
• The Priority Matrix from Stephen Covey.
• Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte.
• Deep Work by Cal Newport.
• Notion affiliate link for free access.
• Shortform app for book summaries.
• Orbitkey Desk Gear & EDC tools.
• Goal Setting Guide video on YouTube.
• Productivity strategies video: "The EASY Way To Stay Organized."
• Complete Notion Life OS video tour.
• Simplified Notion Life OS Onboarding Playlist.
• iOS, iPad & Notion Icon Packs at bettercreating.com.

HOW TO APPLY

• Duplicate the template: Access the public link on bettercreating.com, click "Duplicate" in the top right, select your workspace, and add to private pages; rename as needed and follow the onboard guide.
• Set up life areas: Navigate to the life areas dashboard, click "New Area," name it (e.g., content creation), and let it auto-set a 7-day review frequency; link tasks or notes to it for filtered views.
• Perform a brain dump: Go to a life area page, click "New Task," add details like priority checkboxes for the matrix, due date if needed, and link to projects; avoid inbox for better context.
• Conduct weekly review: On Friday, open life areas and projects, check due items, add updates, mark as reviewed to advance dates; spend 30 minutes scanning tasks and notes.
• Set goals with reflection: Use the wheel of life to rate satisfaction (1-10) in categories like career or health; generate a yearly reflection page, log events as wins/losses, then add new goals phrased as achievements with milestone tasks.
• Track time on tasks: In a project task, click "Track Time" to start a session; end when pausing, allowing multiple sessions; view aggregated totals in project reports via formulas.

ONE-SENTENCE TAKEAWAY

Build a simplified Notion second brain with PARA, priorities, and reviews to align tasks with meaningful goals.

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Start with life areas before tasks to contextualize everything, preventing a disorganized master list.
• Integrate weekly reviews as a non-negotiable habit to sustain system momentum and catch drifts early.
• Phrase goals as completed achievements to harness psychological drive while keeping them realistic.
• Use the priority matrix daily to triage tasks, prioritizing deep work over reactive urgency.
• Embed time tracking from day one to uncover inefficiencies and justify billing or self-assessment.
• Customize by deleting unused views, tailoring the interface without risking core functionality.
• Pair the template with reflection tools like stoic journaling for productivity that fosters personal growth.
• Explore Tiago Forte's PARA fully via his book to refine knowledge organization beyond basics.
• Subscribe to onboarding playlists for evolving guides, adapting to Notion's new features seamlessly.
• Begin small: Onboard one section (e.g., tasks) per week to build confidence without overwhelm.

MEMO

In an era of relentless information influx, Simon, a freelance creative in theater and film, unveils his Simplified Notion Life OS—a streamlined digital second brain designed to tame chaos without overwhelming users. Drawing from years of refining productivity systems, Simon emphasizes that Notion's power lies in simplicity: pre-built templates like his eliminate the hours spent building from scratch, allowing focus on living purposefully. "You've probably clicked on this video because you're interested in finding simpler ways to stay organized," he says, addressing the common frustration of apps that promise efficiency but deliver complexity. His system, available at bettercreating.com with a discount, integrates tasks, projects, goals, and reflections into an app-like dashboard, proving that organization can be intuitive even on mobile.

At the core is Tiago Forte's PARA method, categorizing life into Projects (short-term pushes), Areas (ongoing responsibilities like career or family), Resources (notes and clippings for future use), and Archives (completed items to keep views clean). Simon demonstrates setup by duplicating the template into a workspace, then creating life areas via simple buttons that auto-generate weekly review reminders. This structure ensures tasks aren't isolated to-dos but linked threads pulling toward broader objectives. A brain dump follows: capture swirling thoughts directly into areas, applying Stephen Covey's priority matrix to sort urgent/important items—do now, schedule deep work, delegate, or delete. Such categorization, Simon notes, transforms vague lists into decisive action plans, echoing David Allen's Getting Things Done and Cal Newport's Deep Work.

Weekly reviews emerge as the system's heartbeat, a 30-minute Friday ritual to scan areas and projects, mark progress, and adjust. Simon's automated formulas update due dates seamlessly, preventing backlog buildup. For goals, reflection is key: rate life satisfaction via a wheel of life chart, reflect on yearly wins and losses through prompted templates, then craft inspirational yet believable targets—like "I've created a knowledge-based productivity course." Milestone tasks link back, creating a north star that aligns daily efforts. This reflective loop, Simon shares, has profoundly impacted his life, shifting from mere goal-writing to meaningful achievement.

Innovation shines in time tracking, a breakthrough Simon proudly solved within Notion. Buttons start and end work sessions on tasks, with formulas aggregating durations across projects for insightful reports—ideal for billable hours or self-audit. Completed items auto-archive, filtering out of active views while preservable in system bins. Mobile navigation, with right-side buttons, makes it all accessible on iPhone, bypassing sidebar clumsiness. Habits and stoic journaling add depth, tracking reading or reflections to build enduring routines.

Expanding to his full Notion Life OS, Simon offers a comprehensive suite with CRM, content managers, workout trackers, and budgets—used by thousands but warned as "big," requiring gradual onboarding. Yet, the simplified version distills essentials, proving less is more for flourishing. As Notion evolves, Simon's online guides and playlists ensure adaptability, blending technology with human-centered design. Ultimately, his system isn't about perfection but progress: a second brain that organizes not just tasks, but life's true priorities.