Thread by @monicarysavy

I've learned a few things in the 296 days since I downloaded @NotionHQ for the 1st time. Today I'm making a few more modifications to my workspaces & will share updates throughout the day explaining these changes - including the HOW & the WHY. #notionforacademics #notion #edtech

1st: Have you heard of @fortelabs PARA system for digital organization? If not, go check out Tiago's posts about it here: fortelabs.co/blog/para/ - but make sure to come back so you don't miss all my updates today! 😀

Before learning about PARA (@fortelabs), I mainly focused on my projects & tasks. Now, after PARA, I focus on my GOALS (Quarterly, Annual, & Long-Term) and how my Projects (and their associated tasks), Areas, & Resources contribute to accomplishing those goals. #edtech

There are different ways to implement PARA (@fortelabs) in your life & there's no one tool that MUST be used or is THE MOST RECOMMENDED TOOL or method of implementing PARA. That's one of the things I like about trying tool-agnostic methodologies / systems. #edtech

Today's posts document my 4th+ redesign of my @NotionHQ system. ("+" b/c I didn't # my #Notion iterations in the early days). Since participating in cohort 10 of @fortelabs "Building a Second Brain" program during Spring 2020, I've incorporated PARA into my Notion systems.

When I first added PARA to @NotionHQ, I had a "Projects" table and included my projects as entries within this table. I don't have that table anymore but it looked a lot like this which is a capture of my teams' Projects database at the moment (Note to self: add cover images!)

Shortly after I took the #BuildingASecondBrain course (also known as #BASB), I took @khemaridh's "Supercharge Your Productivity" @NotionHQ course (notion.courses). Khe introduced me to the idea of creating one table to house all the PARA elements.

I liked the idea & though I had separate tables & pages for the variety of resources I was starting to create & maintain in @NotionHQ, I decided to give it a try. I've maintained this system, more or less, in the months that followed @khemaridh's #Notion course.

One of the challenges that I had with the one table implementation of PARA (@fortelabs) within @NotionHQ is that tables within tables don't really work like you might imagine - it's basically creating a bookmark to another resource. Let me explain...

In the 1 table PARA model within @notionhq, my Swipe File (💡Swipe File) had a PARA entry within the table, and when you opened the 💡Swipe File item, the 💡Swipe File table was embedded within it. You could then interact with the table there, or expand the table as a full page.

So you see? It's basically a bookmark to the resource - the 💡Swipe File Table doesn't LIVE within the PARA table; it's a link to the resource that lives somewhere else.

Does this matter functionally? Lately I think "Yes". I like to link to specific resources from my Swipe File, Knowledge Hub, Online Courses to Tasks & Projects. Unless I include a relationship field to all of those @notionhq tables, I can't link to a specific resource.

A relationship field to the PARA table simply enabled me to link to the top level item - i.e. a particular project, yes, but a particular item in an embedded table (i.e. the item I had bookmarked that PARA table entry to), no. So today I'm changing things up! @NotionHQ

In the meantime, I'm also making some design updates. I'm currently binge watching the @netflix show "Away" (it's great!) while updating my @NotionHQ space. Here are the icons and banner I'm working on with @canva.

@NotionHQ Update: From BEFORE (one PARA table) to NOW: a PARA (@fortelabs) Dashboard with a PROJECTS database page, an AREAS database page, a RESOURCES page (which will embed several different resource tables), and an ARCHIVES page.

My PROJECTS previously existed as individual entries in the PARA (@fortelabs) with a "Project" tag & now exist as individual entries on a standalone PROJECTS database page in @NotionHQ. Simple to transfer from one table to the other - just click & drag!

#edtech #Notion

One of my favorite aspects of @NotionHQ is how easy it is to create different views. I almost always make a gallery view for Projects tables.

P.S. Notice anything moving in the video?

**Pro Tip** Animated gifs can be cover images! #NotionforAcademics #EdTech #Notion

Next, I went back to my PARA (@fortelabs) dashboard in @NotionHQ & added an embedded LIST view of my PROJECTS database within a "toggle list". I LOVE using toggle lists in #Notion. Makes it easy to hide things away / make busy dashboards look more organized! #edtech #highered

Next up is moving everything I labeled AREA from my PARA @notionhq table to the new AREAS #Notion database page - simple click & drag move here.

I then decided that many of these AREAS either needed to be combined or turned into Projects. AREAS was the part of PARA that I most needed some time to work out how I wanted to represent within my @notionhq workspace. I've decided to merge several & delete several areas.

Now that I've cleaned up new AREAS table page within @NotionHQ, I created a Gallery view to give me another way to look at it. I know that it may seem EXTRA to spend a lot time picking out cover images, icons, etc... but I spend HOURS of my day in #Notion because I love it.

I added an embedded AREAS table as a GALLERY view to my PARA dashboard in @NotionHQ . As you can see, it scrolls a lot with the images, so I can switch it to more compact views with the List or simple Table OR hide it away with the toggle.

Next, let's talk about RESOURCES. Resources are an area that I really struggled to fit into the 1 table method of implementing PARA (@fortelabs) within @NotionHQ. I rely on MANY tables with #Notion, but my top are my 📬Inbox, my 🧠Knowledge Hub, my 🍎Online Courses, and ...

the variety of tables that make up my #NotionForAcademics daily/weekly/monthly/yearly planning system with @notionhq. Instead of trying to force everything into ONE TABLE within #Notion, I created a RESOURCES page with embedded views and links to different tables (within toggles)

I added links to the "Resources" section of my PARA dashboard within @NotionHQ. I can choose to go directly to the RESOURCES page or just quickly click on a resource from this #Notion dashboard.