I seem to be perpetually engaged in trying to simplify my life. Forgive me a moment’s therapy but the biggest bugbear in my life right now is that I have to run three separate Google Mail accounts in three separate Chrome tabs. As a result, my web browser is cluttered and complex. Send me a postcard if you know of a solution for this.
But today’s Homescreen Hero is related to note-taking, not email management. Sure, I’ve used Evernote, Todoist, and Google Tasks, but haven’t stuck with them for long enough to feel the benefit. And yet, I won’t give up trying to find the elusive app that will solve all my organizational problems. That’s where Notion enters the frame.
Notion offers an impressive range of features for organizing notes, docs, tasks, and projects, but what is more notable about this app is its incredible AI tools. You can ask questions, draft thoughts, brainstorm ideas, and much more. The comprehensiveness and capabilities of this app blew me away.
Homescreen heroes
This is part of a regular series of articles exploring the apps that we couldn’t live without. Read them all here.
My Notion experience is still in its infancy but I’m thoroughly enjoying the journey so far. Even though I’ve only scratched the surface of what I can do with it, I’m certain you could use it too.
One of the areas that I found Notion to be the most helpful was in interpreting images and PDFs. Oftentimes, these types of files contain a lot of unnecessary information that I haven’t got time to read or interpret.
For example, I was recently sent a PDF brochure outlining the details of an event. It included dates, times, and information about what to expect at the event. I didn’t have time or desire to read it all, so I uploaded it to Notion and asked it to summarize the document. After double-checking the results with the original, I was amazed at how accurately and concisely Notion had fulfilled the request.
Notion is also ideal for helping with creative processes such as injecting ideas into a brainstorming space. Simply upload an image of a design or an idea and ask Notion to improve upon it or suggest ideas for how it could be more compelling. This is a simple example. In reality, the possibilities of what Notion can achieve for you are only limited by your imagination.
Notion will also let you track to-dos, write notes, create documents, and manage projects with collaborators in one connected workspace. I also love its ability to convert handwritten notes into digital text. My tests showed that it was far from perfect but it did provide a fantastic starting point for transferring information over from my handwritten notes and doodles. Notion also includes a Try Again feature, which was helpful for the times when it didn’t quite get it right.
Not only have I saved so much time since beginning to use the app but my productivity has gone through the roof. I also love the fact that all my work is synced across my phone and laptop, helping to provide organic workflows that are not limited by having to use a specific device. It’s worth noting that I didn’t utilize the app in a collaborative team context but I can imagine how helpful it would be, especially with integration to third-party apps like Slack.
Notion offers four separate pricing plans but I’ll just draw your attention to the Free and Plus packages. Free is for individuals who want to organize their own lives and manage personal projects. It provides a collaborative workspace, Slack integration, and the ability to invite up to 10 guests.
Small teams and professionals will require the Plus package, which costs $8.75 / £8.50 per seat per month. It unlocks unlimited file uploads, up to 100 guests, and synced databases with 3rd party apps, alongside many other features. If you’re not sure whether the investment is worth it, give the free version a whirl and you’ll quickly see its benefits.
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paulo.n.hatton@gmail.com (Paul Hatton)
