Notion is a great “note taking” app?

First off, I love Notion and use it every day. However, I often see Notion referred to as a great ""note taking"" app. From my experience though, Notion isn't great for the actual note taking part (to me it's probably what Notion does the worst), but it is incredible for note organization and management.

Am I missing something? Is there a way to take notes in it that is great? As of now, the notes I take will be in the bottom part of the task (page) that I am using. Hitting enter just makes a new block, which can get screwy. Highlighting text is a bit annoying. Embedding images within my writing is a bit annoying as well.

#letschat #AskLemon8 #notes

2024/12/5 Edited to

... Read moreHey Lemon8 fam! So, you know how I mentioned feeling a bit conflicted about Notion purely as a 'note taking' app? While I stand by my initial thoughts that the raw act of jotting down quick notes can sometimes feel clunky with its block editor, I’ve had some amazing breakthroughs in leveraging its interface for organization – and that’s where it truly shines, especially for academic notes like my 'Part 1 Lectures' on topics like 'cognition' and 'social psychology.' Many of you search for 'Notion notes app interface' and 'Notion app interface notes', and I totally get why. It’s unique! What felt like a hurdle initially – hitting enter and getting a new block instead of a continuous line – I’ve now learned to embrace as a super power for structuring my thoughts. Instead of seeing it as a disadvantage, I now view each block as a modular unit. This allows for incredible flexibility when I'm reviewing my 'study setup' and organizing complex information. For instance, when I'm taking notes from a lecture or a meeting, I don't just type freely. I use different block types right from the start. Headings (/h1, /h2) for main topics, toggle lists (/toggle) for points I want to expand on later, and callout blocks (/callout) for key takeaways or action items. This way, my notes aren't just a wall of text; they're an interactive, organized document from the get-go. It’s a bit of a learning curve, but once you master it, you realize why Notion is often lauded among 'THE BEST Notes taking Apps' for systematic thinkers. And what about those 'Notion AI meeting notes interface' queries? This is where Notion has seriously upped its game! I've started using Notion AI extensively for my meeting summaries. My workflow looks something like this: I create a dedicated meeting notes template (a database, actually!), which includes fields for attendees, date, and a space for raw notes. During the meeting, I type out key points, decisions, and action items as usual. Afterward, I simply highlight my raw notes and prompt Notion AI to 'Summarize key decisions and action items' or 'Extract main topics discussed.' The AI then generates a concise summary right within my notes. It’s a game-changer for saving time and ensuring nothing gets missed, transforming a messy meeting transcript into a structured overview. This feature alone makes the Notion interface incredibly powerful for professional and academic contexts. Regarding the specific frustrations I mentioned – highlighting and embedding images – I’ve found workarounds that make the 'Notion app interface' much smoother. For highlighting, while direct text highlighting within a paragraph still isn't as fluid as a traditional text editor, I often use Command/Ctrl + Shift + H for quick background highlights, or I simply turn key sentences into a 'Callout' block with a colored background. It makes important points really pop! For embedding images, instead of just pasting them directly into text (which can sometimes break the flow), I use the /image block, or even better, if I have multiple images for a project, I create a 'Gallery' view within a database. This keeps my visuals organized and makes my pages look clean and professional, crucial for any serious 'study setup'. So, while Notion might not be your go-to for a super-fast, stream-of-consciousness note dump, its interface excels in transforming those initial thoughts into a beautifully structured, interconnected knowledge base. It’s about leveraging its unique block-based system and AI capabilities, especially for topics requiring deep organization like academic studies or detailed meeting records. Once you adapt your note-taking style to Notion's strengths, you'll find it's an incredibly practical and powerful tool for managing all your information.

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FaithappleLiliy's images
FaithappleLiliy

I wouldn't call Notion a good note-taking app because the app is difficult to learn, but it's popular. I prefer Apple Notes for note-taking. I found aesthetic or difficult note-taking systems to be too impractical to use.

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CultureSeekers's images
CultureSeekers

Best note-taking apps: 1. Notion: Organized and collaborative. 2. Evernote: Classic with web clipping. 3. OneNote: Syncs with Microsoft. 4. Google Keep: Simple and colorful. 5. Apple Notes: Seamless for Apple users. Choose what works for you!

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