I Used Notion to Organize My Life in 2024: Here Are 5 Ways to Get Started with the Free Version This Year.

Notion has gained great popularity in the tech world, standing out in various areas of work globally. However, its utility transcends the workplace; in 2024, I used its free version to plan and track almost every aspect of my life, including organizing my wedding.

It is a versatile cloud-based productivity application that allows users to create customized databases and more. Notion offers a wide variety of features and types of visualization, making it an ideal tool for organizing almost anything. Although there are subscription options aimed at businesses, there is also a free option suitable for personal projects.

So far, I haven't invested any money in Notion, as its free version has been more than enough for my needs. I have also used Notion to manage my small business, including planning deadlines and billing.

The essence of Notion can be confusing, as it is often presented as just a "productivity app." However, its versatility allows it to transform into practically anything the user needs. Initially, opening the app may give the impression of being merely a note-taking or document management tool, but with some time, it can be used for an almost infinite variety of purposes.

Notion enthusiasts have developed complete project management systems and task managers within the app, but it is not necessary to go to those extremes to take advantage of its capabilities.

Here are some ways that Notion has improved my life during 2024 and how it could do the same for you in the future:

1. Set Your Goals
   At the beginning of 2023, I sat down to define a list of objectives I wanted to achieve, ranging from organizing my wedding to buying a new car. I created a simple to-do list on my 'Personal Dashboard' page in Notion, which allows me to always have my goals in sight. By using the ‘/’ command, you can access different blocks and easily create to-do lists.

2. Choose a View
   One of the features that distinguishes Notion databases from traditional spreadsheets is their multiple views. For example, as a freelance writer, I have an extensive document that acts as my planner, where I keep information about clients, tasks, and deadlines. With a few clicks, I can transform it into a Kanban board and manage my projects more visually.

3. Team Collaboration
   Notion allows real-time collaboration with colleagues. In the planning section of my wedding, my partner and I were able to track payments, emails, and other organizational details. We created a comprehensive checklist, divided into sections to facilitate the management of the process.

4. Find a Template or Create Your Own
   The open nature of Notion can seem overwhelming at first, but many available templates allow users to import tools from creatives around the world, making it easier to start projects. Notion also allows you to publish pages as complete websites.

5. Integrate a Calendar
   Notion launched its own calendar app, which allows me to see all my meetings for the day at a glance. It has integrated scheduling and is visually appealing, plus it connects with the main Notion app, making it easy to drag and drop information between the two.

With these resources, 2025 is projected to be a highly organized and productive year.