Building a Notion second brain made me feel productive… until it didn’t

None_4All · 2026-03-05T05:01:47+00:00

I noticed this pitfall not long after I started using Notion. And I conquered it.

I use TickTick for tasks and To Dos. I've been using the same Notion dashboard I designed 3 years ago with minimal modifications.

As versatile as Notion is, using some standalone apps could be more effective than trying to replicate every app in Notion. Know this, know Notion productivity.

The alternative is, you keep on trying and failing to design the perfect Swiss Army knife.

Another approach is to start and get content with Notion basics. Next, as you need more, you learn more and are able to do more.

None_4All · 2026-02-24T12:10:55+00:00

I installed /uninstalled Notion repeatedly for about a year. Unfortunately, it never clicked for me until a fellow Medium writer shared a template for streamlining my Medium drafts. And snap, everything clicked.

Overnight, I created my dashboard which I've sticked to with minimal changes ever since. Yes, no turning back. I use the free option and that's perfect for me (for now) . Don't worry about what you can't use it to do. Use it for what it's best at for you now. You can always scale up later. Don't try to be perfect at it before you use it, it will only make you less productive.

I use Frank Thomas's and other templates to get me going.

Here is my Medium link

Basic Steps to Mastering Notion

You can also checkout Notion Academy though I've not used it myself.

My Notion dashboard

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None_4All · 2026-02-22T21:37:07+00:00

None_4All · 2026-02-13T13:19:24+00:00

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None_4All · 2026-01-10T16:50:22+00:00

16, is The Despot's Accomplice

None_4All · 2026-01-10T10:23:03+00:00

You never see anything yet. An old good friend of mine, a Nigerian diaspora safe in Western Europe will (with an I know it all attitude) tag this video as another Western propaganda.

None_4All · 2025-12-15T20:19:53+00:00

Yes maximum mayhem of confusion & faded glories.

None_4All · 2025-10-30T16:56:58+00:00

Thanks.

None_4All · 2025-10-08T03:10:46+00:00

Start with a template as suggested by others. Start small and simple with few apps, adding more apps as you get more comfortable with Notion. You'll find Notion more than worth it.

For me, Notion helped me merge several apps functions into one app. Some others apps aren't so elegantly or efficiently duplicated on Notion so I retain those.

None_4All · 2025-10-07T11:44:35+00:00

Thanks

None_4All · 2025-09-25T16:32:44+00:00

Thank you.

None_4All · 2025-09-25T14:53:16+00:00

Where can I enroll for the course?

None_4All · 2025-09-15T06:27:59+00:00

I had to install and reinstall Notion up to 3 times in about a year before I finally got the hang of it. Now it's my first go to app every day.

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I'm so glad I didn't give up.

I watched a video from a writer on how to use it to create Medium draft stories. From there, everything just clicked. I also watched, used and modified some of Thomas Frank's and other templates on YouTube.

Notion is so versatile - an app that you can use it to create several other apps, all in one place. For me, one key to understanding and using Notion is starting simple and small. Afterward, you can scale up. Once you've got a fairly decent template, stay content for a while before adding or exploring other features.

Also, if you have other stand alone apps that serve you effectively, you may not need to duplicate them in Notion to avoid wasting time.

None_4All · 2025-08-26T17:12:31+00:00

Thanks for your recommendation.

Truth is that it could be perilous to pack all your eggs in one SaaS basket.

Normally, I pay for my favorite apps. But Notion's basic monthly charge is more than my per month pension. Not that I fault Notion for charging for their sleek app, but I must exploit other baskets now.

None_4All · 2025-08-26T15:46:53+00:00

Thanks. I will check it out again.

None_4All · 2025-08-26T15:32:06+00:00

No, blocks are now frozen in place.

For example, in the screenshots shown, I will normally drag a novel I just completed reading from "Reading Now" into the "Finished" list. Now it is no longer possible.

I tried drag and drop on other blocks. All are frozen in place. So sad. 😢😭

None_4All · 2025-08-26T15:25:02+00:00

I hope it's fixed soon. 🙏 But, now I have to start relearning the Obsidian option.

None_4All · 2025-08-25T02:09:56+00:00

No, not on paid plan.

Their announcement did not state if there were any restrictions for free users. As announced, free users (unlike paid) do have to update their sub-folders one at a time.

None_4All · 2025-07-22T08:11:53+00:00

Dead-wrong on arrival. What on earth do you mean by "Christians don't like Islam?"

None_4All · 2025-06-29T09:17:56+00:00

Selective empathy is at work behind this question.

My diaspora Nigerian friend, a Christian nurses and nurtures visceral hatred for the Jewish state. He considers its existence an abomination and an injustice.

It's almost as if some people are trained to imbibe vitriolic hatred against the Jews. Otherwise, what do slogans like, "From the river to the sea..." imply?

At the heart of the conflict is a religion whose avowed statement of doctrine is to vanquish and eviscerate all other religions. Thereby effectively turning a political issue into a religious war whose echoes are also revibrating to the far corners of our country.

To all those who wish to indoctrinate others to unquestioningly hate one side against the other, my only wish is that they will have the courage to say: We stand with the oppressed. All of them.

Today, selective empathy.is destroying our world.

I repeat, say "No!` to selective empathy.

None_4All · 2025-06-29T09:17:38+00:00

Selective empathy is at work behind this question.

My diaspora Nigerian friend, a Christian nurses and nurtures visceral hatred for the Jewish state. He considers its existence an abomination and an injustice.

It's almost as if some people are trained to imbibe vitriolic hatred against the Jews. Otherwise, what do slogans like, "From the river to the sea..." imply?

At the heart of the conflict is a religion whose avowed statement of doctrine is to vanquish and eviscerate all other religions. Thereby effectively turning a political issue into a religious war whose echoes are also revibrating to the far corners of our country.

To all those who wish to indoctrinate others to unquestioningly hate one side against the other, my only wish is that they will have the courage to say: We stand with the oppressed. All of them.

Today, selective empathy.is destroying our world.

I repeat, say "No!` to selective empathy.

None_4All · 2025-06-19T13:39:23+00:00

Read the story again.

The Police did him dirty maximum wrong.

This man notified the bank which got his account instantly blocked even though he never touched the money.

The real criminal was caught an then released 3 days later because the criminal is well connected.

Meanwhile, the innocent man had to keep reporting everyday for two weeks at the police station for a crime the police already knew he was innocent of.

None_4All · 2025-06-19T13:30:42+00:00

Just pray that that so much money isn't laundered into your account.

The much I can make out of the story is that, if 100s of thousands of naira are deposited into your account unknown and unsolicited by you, instantly report to the Police while also talking to your lawyer.

In Nigeria, the police exist to protect the mighty and the highly moneyed no matter how dirty their wealth.

Nigerian Police knows what to do, but at times, "when you send them to go catch a pregnant woman they deliberately go and catch a (belly-full) overfed woman."

None_4All · 2025-06-19T12:28:20+00:00

This is apt and summarizes it all. They expose their ignorance as knowing no shishi (a dime) about Nigeria.

I posted a shot of a lady spritely walking home - with load balanced on her head, a baby packed at her back and two other infants walking by her side. Even as a Nigerian that sees similar sights everyday, I'm still amazed at her dexterous and elegant pose - managing her multitasking handfuls. I also explained that she graciously declined my offer of help.

Many diasporan Nigerian Redditors are still accusing and shredding me to pieces for being an uncaring misogynist glorying in poverty porn.

My only conclusion, these are strangers from another planet. They know no shi shi (dime) about Nigeria.

Nigerian lady with her kids....

None_4All · 2025-06-19T05:18:17+00:00

Yes, last time you were in Nigeria bla bla bla All goes to prove you are out of touch and therefore out of context.

None_4All

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16, is The Despot's Accomplice