Are We Over-Systematizing Work?
Building our own tools comes with an unexpected side effect: making work complicated.
Welcome to Issue #30 of Notion Creators Weekly, where I share ~ 1 Big Idea & 3 Updates to help you work with more focus and intention. And thank you all for bringing us past 2,800 subscribers!
Summary
Why we over systematize, and how to stop planning and start acting. 👇🏼
Notion Projects is out. Here’s how it works.
Business Goals in Notion Webinar is July 12th. RSVP Here!
Did you know you can automatically change the dates on dependencies in timeline? Learn more.
It’s so easy to over-systematize.
Every few months or so, I find myself frustrated at a system I’ve built, only to spend hours rethinking my entire workflow (usually in Notion).
Sound familiar?
The Notion team often describes the software as a tool to make other tools.
This is in amazing contrast to the typical software experience of having to fit a tool’s constraints. Every team has an optimal way of managing workflows, and although there are plenty of overlaps, it’s never one size fits all.
But the downside of unlimited customization? A never-ending process of optimization. We’ll harp on getting our systems just right, while the real work remains unfinished.
I decided to declutter my entire Notion workspace, cutting out all dashboards that had views of different databases, color-coding, or custom buttons. Why? The benefits of seeing multiple collections of data was outweighed by the friction of having the same data in multiple places.
I covered the process in the thread below if you’re curious how it went…
If you find yourself harping on perfecting your systems, there’s an exercise I use with clients to keep us focused on the two things that matter most: Make work easier, and maximize time and energy for deep work.
Here are the steps we use in defining how to rebuild workflows:
Make a List | List out all existing pain points in your workflow (where are you manually repeating tasks? when do you hit writer’s block?)
Prioritize | Re-order that list by priority – which pain points are using up the most time and energy?
Make a Time-Based Plan | Give yourself a deadline, and define actions you need to take to optimize your workflow. This could mean setting up automations, creating a template, writing an SOP for yourself, or a combination of those.
Execute | Now that you have a plan, it’s easier to hold yourself accountable on what you’re changing and how you’re doing it, avoiding any potential rabbit-holes in the process.
🏗️ Notion Projects is out!
What is it and who is it for?
The new template from the Notion team aims to streamline project management, adding a sneak peek into new features. It’s a great resource for teams new to Notion, but I wouldn’t migrate everything to the new system (at least not yet). If you’re interested in learning more about how it works, check out the video below.
🧑🏫 Webinar | Business Goals in Notion
July 12th | 02:30 PM EDT
Join us for a deep dive on defining, tracking, and reaching your business goals in Notion! We’ll break down practical strategies and step-by-step instructions to effectively manage your business goals in Notion.
🤔 Did you know?
Automatically shift dates on dependencies
You can automatically change the dates on dependencies when there is conflict or changes. Click on •••
in the right-hand corner of the database and click on Dependencies.
Select one of these options:
Shift & maintain time between tasks: If task A is blocking task B and the due date of task A is shifted forward one week, the due date of B will also shift forward one week.
Shift only when dates overlap: Tasks will only be shifted when their dates start to overlap. The distance between tasks may still be decreased.
Do not automatically shift: Due dates are never automatically shifted.
🙌🏼 That’s it for this week!
I’d love to hear what you think. What content resonates? What do you want to see more or less of? Just hit reply to let me know!
And if you’re loving Notion Creators Weekly, I’d love it if you helped spread the word! 😀
Until next time,
Dave