If you’ve ever wondered how to manage an overwhelming list of tasks, responsibilities, and projects, you’re in the right place. Today, we’re laying down the foundational pillars of a robust task management system: Second Brain ~ GTD, PARA, maintained within a Notion framework.
Introducing GTD (Getting Things Done)
The GTD philosophy revolves around the idea of moving tasks out of the mind and into a reliable external system. This frees up mental space, allowing you to focus more effectively on the task at hand. The most important part of GTD is to have ONE TO-DO LIST. ONE. Gone are the days of sticky notes and voice memos.
Here are the key elements:
- Capture: Collect all tasks, notes, and projects.
- Clarify: Break them down into actionable items.
- Organize: Sort these items based on context and priority.
- Reflect: Regularly review your lists.
- Engage: Take action.
It might sound overly simplistic, but having a single to-do list can really make all the difference. With Notion, you can save your Parking Lot page as a shortcut on your phone’s home screen, create a scaled-back Mobile View, and even set up a button so adding things to your Parking Lot is easier than sending yourself a text message to remember later.
Unlocking the Power of PARA
The PARA system complements GTD by offering a way to categorize tasks and resources:
- Projects: Current commitments that require multiple steps.
- Areas: Parts of your life that require continuous maintenance (e.g., Day Job, Side Hustle, Home, etc.).
- Resources: Information or tools you’ll refer back to (e.g., industry reports, toolkits).
- Archives: Completed projects and obsolete resources.
PARA has worked so well for me because it’s not just for organizing my professional life. I can keep track of home renovations with my husband, save (and actually use) my amazing 2 a.m. art ideas, and (somehow) maintain my social life. I even use PARA to keep track of restaurants I’ve been to in the area and what I enjoyed on the menu.
Merging with Notion
Notion serves as the digital workspace where GTD and PARA come to life. With its versatile templates and tagging system, you can easily:
- Capture tasks in a “Parking Lot.”
- Categorize them using PARA principles.
- Review and prioritize using GTD methods.
- Create dashboards for a 360-view of your projects and tasks.
Plus, with Notion, you can run collaborative Teamspaces that follow all of the same methodologies so your entire team is effortlessly on the same page.
The Synergy
When Notion, GTD, and PARA come together, they create a robust task management system tailored to your unique needs. To illustrate, let’s consider a real-world example: managing your brand’s presence at a cannabis industry event.
- Notion as the Framework: Begin by using Notion to establish your digital workspace for the event. Create a Project for the event, which will serve as the central hub for all tasks, resources, and timelines associated with managing your brand’s presence.
- GTD in Action: Within this Notion workspace, capture all tasks involved — booth setup, product demos, demographics, lead collection, and follow-ups. Clarify these tasks into actionable steps using GTD principles. For instance, “demographics” might be broken down into tasks like “Identify key industry players attending” and “Prepare talking points for people that don’t consume pre-rolls.”
- PARA Takes Over: With your tasks now in Notion, use the PARA system to categorize and manage them. The event itself is a “Project,” while specific aspects like booth setup or lead collection become individual “Tasks” within this project. Any brochures, digital media, or essential contacts can be housed under “Resources”. As tasks are completed, they’ll move into your “Archive” category. Remember, in a PARA environment, nothing gets deleted—it’s simply moved out of your immediate view.
By initially setting Notion as your foundational framework, you facilitate efficient task management through GTD and effective organization through PARA. Whether you’re running a booth at a bustling industry event or balancing tasks in different aspects of your life, this integrated approach ensures you stay on top of things.
In this example, GTD helps you manage the details, PARA helps you see the bigger picture, and Notion acts as the workspace that allows both systems to interact efficiently. Whether you’re dealing with ever-changing marketing campaigns, overhauling your entire personal merch line, or juggling between the two, this framework will keep you on track.
Today, we’ve laid down the foundations for mastering task management. In the next article, we’ll dive deep into the art of PARKing tasks—your ultimate guide to collecting and organizing tasks efficiently.