Simplify Notion
and find the shape of your ideas
Dear reader,
When I was at the ripe age of 12, I sort of became obsessed with magazines. Whenever I went with my mom to run errands, I’d find the magic aisle and convince her I needed a new one (I also thought I was convincing her that buying them one-off was cheaper than a subscription). I loved reading articles, looking at collaged images, and learning about trends amongst the young generation. The idea of having them bound and packaged in a tangible book was the cherry on top.
I recently read More Than Enough. Outside of it being a book I’d highly recommend to anyone interested in learning how to be ok taking up space in the world, Elaine Welteroth got me thinking about how in another life, I believe I would have wanted to become an editor and journalist. It’s why I love curating ideas so much. TV shows like Tokyo Vice have let me live in this fantasy. I divulged this with a friend recently, to which she replied, “How could you bring more of that into your work?” I thought it was such a solid question. One that I’ve been thinking about in the late and early hours.
I love media. I love all kinds of media. I think it’s why when I had the ultimate freedom at 18 to explore fine arts, I gravitated toward experimental design, printmaking, mixed media, and collage. They were all processes that encouraged me to explore other media. And somehow bring them all together to create my own media. Today, as I think about what I love to find myself in conversation about, it is all topics that revolve around media. Have you seen How to With John Wilson? Or read What Matters in the Age of AI is Tase on Substack? I’m obsessed with short films, long films, photography, printmaking, flyers, magazines, posters — all things that are seemingly so simple yet capable of communicating to the masses.
In my latest YouTube video, I shared the exact way I simplified Notion to plan all my content and projects. Throughout the template creation process, I kept asking myself how this relates to anything I am doing artistically. I love Notion. In yet another dream life, I’d build Notion pages for people. Why do I feel so compelled and inspired by Notion? This question helped me realize that the shape of my ideas is important. My process for how I think about things, relate them to one another, and connect media together can be facilitated in Notion with no bounds. There aren’t any pre-set systems. Connecting my ideas – akin to the way I connect media.
I am wholeheartedly thrilled to officially publish my first Notion template. The template is the exact way I simplified Notion to plan all my creative projects and content. It’s a system that uses a one-database method. You can see how I use the template here and purchase the template for your own use here.
I want to curate more places where you can feel inspiration and delight in printed media again. Where curated ideas are thoughtfully edited together in a way that brings new perspectives to your life to open possibility (I have another project coming very soon <3). I hope this template is just the start – I hope it simplifies Notion and inspires you to find the shape of your ideas.
Warmly,
Lauren
Lauren
NEW VIDEO
Currently Reading: Call us What we Carry by Amanda Gorman
Learning this was fascinating and inspiring
This discourse always interests me
++ see all the above links
If we haven’t had the pleasure of meeting—I’m Lauren Sauder, an artist, writer, and mentor. If you enjoyed this post, here are a few ways you can connect with me:
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I have ZERO organizational skills... :(