Welcome to Issue #40 of the Notion Creators Newsletter, where I share 1 Big Idea & 3 Updates to help you work with more focus and intention.
💡 Does efficiency crush invention?
As a Notion Consultant, I spend a lot of time thinking about efficiency. But is there such a thing as being too efficient?
100% yes.
Granted, the majority of companies I talk to do have an efficiency problem. Many are making great products or services, but are also growing rapidly, often without the proper systems in place to scale effectively.
So even with rapid growth, lack of systems stifles growth, breeds discontent, and has tangible negative impacts on the bottom line.
Although the majority of teams I meet with have an efficiency problem, there’s an equally problematic issue on the other end of the spectrum: too much efficiency.
You can never be too organized, right? You can. Any business that is too rigid and over-systematized is bound to fail because it has limited space and time for the breakthroughs that come from invention.
This topic – the balance between invention and efficiency – came up in Lex Fridman’s recent interview with Jeff Bezos, in which Bezos discusses the value of both, and the perils of having too much of one, and not enough of the other.
It was the most fascinating part of the interview (for me at least) because it precisely highlighted many of the challenges growing businesses face: fostering invention and scaling through efficiency.
Why is a culture of invention so important?
Blame it on technology, new tools, or lower attention spans, but knowledge workers often favor low-leverage tasks that – although they may seem productive – do little to drive growth or innovation. Invention is a hard thing to clarify because by its very nature, is vague.
"Efficiency and invention are sort of at odds, because real invention... requires wandering, and you have to give yourself permission to wander.”
– Jeff Bezos
The act of wandering in a hyper-connected work environment seems impossible but is necessary for breakthroughs to happen.
Efficiency can drive business growth, but only after invention.
What does it mean to be efficient?
While invention is inherently messy and unstructured, efficiency is crucial for turning creative ideas into viable products or services.
Efficiency streamlines wild ideas, making them accessible and marketable.
Building a culture of efficiency is nowhere near as sexy as building a culture of invention, but growth is stifled without the right processes and systems in place.
What’s in the middle of efficiency and invention? Innovation.
Okay, please stick with me on this one because I’ve just thrown three jargon-y buzzwords at you in one title. 😅
Innovation is positive change enabled by periods of invention, followed by focused waves of efficiency. Acknowledging these waves, and even planning for them, can bring real clarity to teams, allowing them to shift workflows, priorities, and schedules, based on whether they’re optimizing for invention or efficiency.
What does this have to do with Notion?
I’m getting there. 😄
It’s easy for teams (and workspace builders) to grow overly obsessed with efficiency, but the results can be just as bad as a complete lack of systems. Here are a few common traits of an overly-optimized workspace:
Too Much Structure: The workspace might be extremely organized with rigid templates, exhaustive databases, and intricate tagging systems. While this appears orderly, it is likely overwhelming and restrictive for users.
Micromanagement through Task Tracking: Being able to track every aspect of every task doesn’t mean you should. There might be an excessive focus on tracking every minute detail and task. This could lead to micromanagement, where team members spend more time updating their status in Notion than doing actual work.
Limited Room for Creative Inputs: Too much structure often leaves little room for open-ended brainstorming or free-form idea generation. Hint: not everything has to be in Notion.
Overemphasis on Metrics and Reporting: I love KPIs and OKRs as much as anyone, but an overemphasis on this can lead to decision paralysis or prioritizing metrics over meaningful outcomes. The workspace might be filled with complex dashboards focusing heavily on metrics and analytics, taking attention away from the inventive work that’s hard to quantify.
Takeaway: embrace the messiness of invention, and strive for efficiency in execution.
The most challenging aspect of Notion consulting is striking the balance between enabling invention and building systems that will drive growth.
Innovation can be (and often is) a chaotic process, swinging between messy invention and focused efficiency. There’s always some spontaneity in this, but designing the right workspaces and workflows aligns teams around their core mission, and meets teams where they are.
ps. I’m working on a more in-depth article about this, and would love your input! What roles do you think invention and efficiency play in business growth? Drop a comment or send me a DM on X!
NOTION RESOURCES
📓 The Perspectives Bullet Journal
Josh Redd just launched The Perspectives Journal and honestly, this feels like the perfect combo of Bullet Journal & Notion. This template offers easy daily planning, strategic tools for long-term goals, and options to track habits and projects. Its flexibility allows for customization, making it a solid choice for anyone looking for an efficient, adaptable digital journaling system. Josh is also a seasoned Notion Consultant, and is clearly bringing his expertise to every detail of the Perspectives Journal.
Use code CREATORSJOURNAL to get 50% off! (not an affiliate, just a fan)
NOTION UPDATES
🧙🏼 Exploring Notion Q&A Works, with Selida
This video delves into the innovative Notion Q&A feature, showcasing its ability to answer queries based on a user's Notion workspace. It highlights three key applications: Task Management, where Notion Q&A efficiently tracks and provides details on tasks and their statuses; Knowledge Management, offering quick access to consolidated notes and documents; and Personal Use, aiding in tracking personal activities like workouts. The user applauds Notion Q&A for its revolutionary impact on users deeply integrated with Notion, acknowledging its current limitations while expressing optimism for its future enhancements.
NEW FEATURES
💻 Notion Revamps Sharing Public Pages
You’ve seen them all over the web: pages that look like Notion, but they’re actually a webpage. This feature definitely came in handy, providing an option to quickly turn any Notion page in your workspace into a webpage shared with the world.
With this latest update, users can clearly see which pages have been shared publicly (rather than buried in the Share button), and you can now access a list of all pages shared in your Settings menu.
This update makes me wonder if Notion is trying to take on Super.so? 🤔
Check out Notion’s Template Gallery
BONUS NEWS
⛰️ Manifest OS Launches Next Week!
If you joined the waitlist, you’ve already gotten a sneak peek at the template for creative entrepreneurs. If you’re new to Manifest, we’ll share more details, about how it works, and how to build a similar system for you. Stay tuned!
🙌🏼 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! 😀