Exploring my favourite Notion’s NEW features
September, 2022.
I’ve been using Notion for over 3 years, and even though things have changed a lot since day one, there were many exciting changes specifically in the past few months, which were, to my dismay, also the months that I basically have been using my systems as they were because I was working too way too much, and even though I was aware new things were happening, I just couldn't catch up.
So, about 2 weeks ago, I decided it was time. It was time to read and watch whatever I could find on these new features – which means a lot of Marie Poulin’s and Thomas Frank’s content –, and then begin implementing them to improve my systems.
It was fun. And now I’ve compiled here the 7 new features that I think are the most useful to be aware of if you also need to get updated on Notion like I did. I’ve also put together how to use them, some details about each, and examples from my own workflow along the way. Enjoy.
# Outline
1. New status property
2. Mixing database link views
3. Default templates for databases
4. New relation set up
5. Property upgrade I don’t know exactly how to define – but it’s awesome
6. Side peek
7. Native progress graphics
New Status Property
We have the option to add a property exclusively for defining a status to our pages. And, the soon you create it, there are already three areas – To-do, In Progress, and Complete – that we can add personalised words for each one of them. By default, the page will be in a “Not started” status.
For example, I started using this new property in my notes from medicine and in my articles. It helps me acknowledge what can be done with the time I end up having any moment in the day.
On the left, the status property as soon as it is created; on the right, after some adjustments (other database).
2. Mixing database link views
This is one of the best updates Notion has ever made in my opinion. It’s so useful and so smart. It made me feel thoughtful about how things were when I was beginning using Notion. It was already a great app, but now… It’s an extension of my way of functioning. ^^’
Ok, back to the point. Well, before, when we made a link to a database, we could only have different views from that chosen database. Now, Notion allows us, in the same “linking line”, to have different databases, and to choose different views from distinct databases, if we want to. It makes things so clean and convenient – we can see many instances of our work without jumping from page to page, and then having to come all the way back where we started.
Until now I have been using this update in my weekly page, where I’ve gathered a view to my goals, others to my articles, the subjects I’m studying, books I’m reading and so on. It did help me to be more focused and motivated.٩(^ᴗ^)۶
Here, each view is from a different database, despite being brought together in the same line. :)
3. Default Templates for Databases
I’ve used this update in my Library and Weekly Review pages, for example. It’s a nice touch and make the workflow faster, I think. Before, once we created a page, if we wanted to use a template, we could choose one from the templates we had after opening the page. Now, we can decide to have a default template to the pages we create in a database, and even in which view we want the template, or all the views.
4. New Relation Set Up
Relations always were one of my favourite things about Notion. They are what inherently make my second brain function. Before, we could simply make relations between properties of databases, and that relation automatically created a backlink between the two. Now, there are basically two changes: a. we can choose to have a backlink or not, and b. we can limit the number of relations.
On the left, there’s a backlink for both databases.
5. Property upgrade I don’t know exactly how to define – but it’s awesome
I still need to think how to name this upgrade, but I thought it was so handy that I would put it here. And the funny thing is that I was simply I doing my weekly review and then, when I didn’t even expected, I’ve noticed the upgrade – a welcomed little surprise ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ. In one of the views in my Goals page, I have chosen to see the name of the goal (of course), the notes related to it and its tasks, even though each goal has many other properties. Before the upgrade, if I created a new goal in that view, I would have to open the page to type any notes or tasks, but now, we have the option to add this information just like the title of the page, directly at the moment we create the new goal, because these are properties seen in the default for that view. Neat.
6. Side Peek
It was such a good feeling when I started using Notion one day to open a project database and then the page I clicked on just appeared by the side. Additionally, once in peek mode, you can choose to view the page in center peek or full. You can even choose which default you want when opening pages as well. So simple and so useful.
7. Native Progress Graphics
For a while, Notion nerds like me had used several formulas to create progress bars and other forms of graphical symbols to represent… progress. However, for some people those formulas could be quite intriguing, and at the end of the day, you had to at least search for the code to copy and paste it on your pages to have one beautiful progress bar. Now, they become native, and what I liked most about them is that you can personalise it in different ways very easily: you can choose between a number, bar, or ring; the colour, the scale and if it will show the number or not. When I was testing this property, and I saw the number there, beside the bar, I just though “only if I could take this out…”, and ta-daaa, there was an option for that – they really thought of it all here.
There you have it. If you want any help using these features, let me know – I love teaching and sharing ideas about Notion. :)
Until the next article.
