Tips on how to create a GTD inbox system in Notion
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Ever since studying David Allen’s Getting Issues Completed, I’ve been repeating this motto:
“Your head will not be for storing info.”
As somebody who spends an excessive amount of time in my head, this quote felt like a permission slip to let my mind breathe momentarily.
Do you imply to say that I can hit pause on these concepts, duties, and (let’s be trustworthy) worries which can be biking by way of my head with nowhere to go?
Properly, in fact, that’s simpler mentioned than performed.
The place will I maintain my random ideas and concepts if my head isn’t for storing info?
Enter the inbox system.
I lately shared in regards to the energy of closing open loops, and the inbox system is among the greatest methods I’ve discovered to consolidate these open loops and get them out of your head.
Utilizing Notion, I’ve created my very own inbox system modeled after the Getting Issues Completed (GTD) technique, and it’s turn into a device I exploit every day to maintain my life and work organized.
When you’ve by no means used Notion, it’s a extremely customizable organizational device for process administration, undertaking monitoring, to-do lists, bookmarking, and extra.
Marie Poulin calls Notion her “outsourced reminiscence,” which is precisely how I like to consider it.
Now, as an alternative of scribbling notes and concepts in a number of notebooks, I’ve dedicated to the inbox system to maintain every little thing in a single place.
If in case you have a forgetful mind and love to gather concepts and knowledge, right here’s why you want an inbox system and how you can create your personal.
An Overview of the Inbox System
The inbox is a device you need to use to seize and observe any info that comes your means.
Whether or not it’s duties, concepts, sources, or reminders, you want a singular place to maintain observe of these issues to keep away from being overwhelmed.
Think about a submitting system on a desk the place you retain any papers that get handed to you. I used to have one among these at my workplace job, and it’s the place all papers went to die.
However we don’t need these concepts or duties to die. We wish to ensure we’re doing one thing about them.
That’s why I created a digital system that’s available from each my laptop and cellphone, and why the inbox technique follows a selected course of.
The inbox course of
- Seize: Add new objects to your inbox. This may very well be a process, concept, article to learn, exercise to attempt, and many others.
- Make clear: Take what you’ve captured and determine what motion to take subsequent. If it’ll take lower than 2 minutes, do it straight away.
- Arrange: If an merchandise will take greater than 2 minutes to finish, transfer it to your calendar or to-do listing for later motion.
I’ll share extra about this course of later, however for now, let’s stroll by way of the inbox setup.
Setting Up an Inbox in Notion
Get the inbox template
If you wish to seize a pre-built template, I’ve made one which you can duplicate right here.
Tips on how to construct your Notion inbox
When you’d wish to recreate the template your self (as a result of constructing from scratch helps you perceive how issues work), right here’s how you can create your inbox in Notion.
[If you’re not already a Notion user, sign up for free here.]
1. Create a brand new web page in Notion and identify it ‘Inbox’
2. Add a brand new desk
3. Choose + New Database for the information supply
4. Add new columns and label them as wanted
Listed below are the columns I exploit:
- Title
- Context – this helps you bear in mind why you saved the observe. I exploit motion verbs akin to To Evaluate, To File, To Learn, To Write, and To Create.
- URL (if it’s from a web site)
- Date captured – this makes positive issues aren’t sitting round for years
- A checkbox known as ‘Organized?’
5. Add a filter on the desk that exhibits solely objects which have ‘Organized?’ unchecked
This filter ensures you solely see the objects you haven’t already handled.
6. Rename your desk to ‘To Course of’
Naming your desk will make it easier to distinguish between organized and unorganized notes (extra on that subsequent).
Non-obligatory steps
Type the desk
Type the desk by date so that you all the time begin together with your earliest notes.
Make your inbox fairly
Top-of-the-line elements of Notion is which you can make your pages fairly with icons and canopy artwork.
Merely hover close to the title of your web page, and also you’ll see the choice so as to add an icon or cowl.
A lot better!
Maintaining observe of organized notes
Somewhat than deleting every little thing from the inbox after I’ve organized it, I exploit a special view of the identical desk. That means, I’ve a document of issues I’ve organized with out cluttering the principle view.
Right here’s how to do this:
1. Duplicate the ‘To Course of’ view of the inbox
2. Rename the brand new desk to ‘Organized’
3. Change the filter to incorporate solely these with ‘Organized?’ checked
At this level, you need to be all set!
Tips on how to Use Your Inbox
Step 1: Seize
First, we have to speak about how you can add concepts to your inbox. Listed below are some choices:
1. Mind dump
The primary technique is to easily add concepts and ideas utilizing the ‘New’ button.
When you’re creating your Notion inbox whilst you learn this, attempt doing a mind dump of every little thing that’s at the moment in your thoughts and add these issues to your inbox.
Sooner or later, each time one thing pops into your head, add it to your inbox.
2. Chrome Extension
If I’m searching the web and discover one thing value saving for later, I’ll use the Notion Chrome extension so as to add it on to my inbox.
When you’ve put in the extension, you may click on the Notion icon out of your browser and discover the ‘Inbox’ desk. Voila, it’s added to the listing!
3. From Your Telephone
I even have the Notion app on my cellphone, which implies I can add issues to the inbox at any time. I merely click on the ‘Share’ icon, discover the Notion app button, and put it aside to the inbox database.
Step 2: Make clear
When you’ve added one thing to your inbox, you’ll wish to add some context that can assist you bear in mind why you saved this factor. Context helps decide what motion to take subsequent.
When you’ve adopted the set-up directions above, it is best to have a column in your inbox known as ‘Context’. That is the place you may outline what kind of inbox merchandise that is.
Forms of context
Listed below are some examples of context:
- To Do
- To Purchase
- To Ask
- To Write
- To Analysis
- To Learn
- To Make
- To Declutter
Regardless of the context is, assign it to your inbox merchandise.
Step 3: Arrange
When to prepare your inbox
You wish to ensure you’re organizing and clearing your inbox out frequently. David Allen recommends doing this every day.
When you’re retaining observe of essential to-dos right here, you could wish to follow as soon as a day.
I am going by way of it one to 2 instances per week as I don’t maintain any urgent to-do objects in my inbox.
I additionally like leaving the inbox alone for just a few days as a result of it provides me an opportunity to sleep on issues and never make choices from a spot of impulsivity (like shopping for these sneakers I don’t want).
How to prepare your inbox
Have a look at the concepts you’ve captured and determine what motion must be taken subsequent to get them out of the inbox.
If the duty will take lower than 2 minutes, save your self some organizing time and do it straight away.
If an merchandise will take greater than 2 minutes to finish, transfer it someplace you may take motion on it. Perhaps that’s your calendar, to-do listing, or a basic references folder if no motion is required.
For instance:
- If it’s a weblog submit concept, I’ll transfer it to my content material hub for later
- If it’s one thing I wish to purchase, I’ll purchase it now or add it to a wishlist I’ve elsewhere
- If it’s an article I wish to learn, I’ll take a couple of minutes to learn it from my inbox, or I’ll add it to a different database I’ve that’s only for ‘to learn’ objects
After you’ve completed these steps, you could or might not have a transparent inbox. Typically there can be objects you merely don’t know the place to file or aren’t able to course of.
I feel it’s okay to go away just a few objects within the inbox, but when they’ve been there for greater than per week, it’s in all probability time to delete them.
Have any questions in regards to the inbox system or Notion?
I hope this submit has satisfied you that an inbox system is among the greatest instruments to prepare your ideas and concepts.
I’d love to listen to in case you use one other technique or plan to do this one.
If in case you have any questions on this technique or how Notion works, depart a remark under!
