You've thought about using Notion but don't know where to start.

You're in luck.

Here's Notion 101: A step-by-step guide to the basics:

First things first:

If you haven't done this already, head on over to http://Notion.so  & sign up for a free account.

They offer all of the typical methods you're used to:

•Google, Apple, your email address, etc.

Got that done?

Cool, let's do this!

Navigation:

A quick primer on the basic icons & flow of your new workspace:

Sidebar:
•Your workspace name
•Quick find = search
•All updates = notifications
•Settings & Members = account settings

Below this, you'll see a list of your current pages.

Pages: 1

In Notion, everything lives on a page.

Pages are blank canvases used to house "blocks" of information.

Each one can consist of many things ranging from simple to complex.

•Plain text
•Reading lists
•Journal entries
•Fitness trackers
•In-depth dashboards & more

Pages: 2

Let's make a sample page:

•Click: + Add a page

•Choose Page type
⇢Empty with icon
⇢Empty
⇢Template
⇢Import

For this example, we'll choose "empty page."

(These are exactly what they sound like)

Then:
•Add an icon
•Add a cover

Templates: 1

Notion has a growing list of premade pages called Templates.

This is the best way to get your feet wet & look like you know what you're doing (before you actually do).

• + Add a page
• Select template
• Choose the one you want
• Boom! Added to your workspace

Templates: 2

In addition to templates within your workspace, Notion offers many more inside their "template gallery."

These include pages created in-house & those created by individuals.

In short, if you want to do it in Notion, there's probably a template for it.

Check it

Blocks: 1

I mentioned that Pages are composed of "blocks" of information.

But what is a block you ask?

A block can be characterized as any unit of data within a page.

Text, lists, databases, images, video, you name it.

If it lives inside a page, it's a block.

More here

Blocks: 2

OK, so now you know what a block is (or what it can be) but how do you create them?

As with most everything in Notion, it's simple.

Typing "/" in your workspace automatically brings up a list of blocks for you to choose from.

Like this:

As you can see, there's an extensive list of "blocks".

Let's categorize them to make it easier:

• Basic: pages, lists, bullets
• In-line: mentions, dates, reminders
• Media: images, video, code
• Database: tables, boards, etc.
• Embeds: Pull in data from other apps

Basic: 1

• Pages - This allows you to create a new page embedded inside an existing one.

You can also toggle a top-level page in your left sidebar and easily see any subpages.

• To-Do's - Create a simple to-do list

• Headings - Create standard H1, H2, H3 headings.

Basic: 2

• Bulleted Lists - Simple bulleted list

• Numbered Lists - List with sequential numbering

• Toggles - Nest content inside other content

Basic: 3

• Quotes - Add larger indented text
• Divider - Create a thin grey line to separate text sections
• Link to page - Add a link to another page inside your workspace
• Callout - Ideal for tips or warnings. Includes a default emoji to draw attention to specific text.

In-line:

These types of blocks are great for keeping track of where things are at and communicating with your team.

Mention coworkers, set reminders, communicate deadlines, and more.

You can even reference and link to other pages within your workspace.

Media:

If there's a type of media you use, odds are, you can work with it inside Notion.

Images, web bookmarks, video, audio, etc. can all live inside your workspace.

Simply use the "/" menu to select the media you want and upload/insert the corresponding file.

Database Views:

• Table: see all data in one place
• Board: project tracking
• Timeline: workflows
• Calendar: event planning/due dates
• List: simplified view
• Gallery: grid for recipes, index cards, etc.

Check out this video to see the basics:

Embeds:

One of my favorite features in Notion is the ability to pull content in from other sources.

Currently, you can bring in data from over 500 different apps.

Typeforms, Google Drive, PDFs, Twitter posts, the list goes on...

Here's how to do it:

There you have it.

Notion Basics 101.

As you can see, the possibilities of what you can create are virtually limitless.

I'm just learning Notion now, so I'm sure there's a ton I missed.

Easier way to do something I mentioned?

Cool, let me know in the comments!

For now:

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