TL;DR: Start with five pre-built Notion templates—a daily planner, a habit tracker, a project dashboard, a finance log, and a reading list. Duplicate each, tweak the properties, and link them together for a frictionless personal operating system.
1. The Daily Planner (Time-Blocking)
Create a new page and choose “Task List” from the template gallery (or build one manually). Add a Date property (type: Date) and a Priority select (Low/Medium/High). For each day, add a checkbox for “Top 3 Wins” at the top. Tip: Use the “/” command to insert a toggle block for “Evening Review” – write one sentence on what worked. Duplicate this page daily by right-clicking the page title and selecting “Duplicate.”
If you want to dig deeper, check out our guide on 10 Simple Lifestyle Habits for Better Health & Happiness.
2. The Habit Tracker (Monthly Grid)
Use the built-in “Habit Tracker” template from Notion’s gallery. Replace the sample habits with yours (e.g., “Read 10 pages,” “No sugar”). Change the view to “Table” and add a formula property: if(prop("Habits") > 5, "🔥", "💧") to visualize streaks. Tip: Set a reminder by typing “@remind” in any cell – Notion will push a notification at 9 AM daily.
3. The Project Dashboard (Kanban)
Start with a blank page, add a “Board” view, and create columns: Backlog, In Progress, Done. Add a Status select property and a Due Date property. Drag cards between columns as you work. Tip: Click “Filter” → “Assign to Me” to see only your tasks if you share the board. Link this dashboard from your Daily Planner by typing “@” and selecting the page name.
4. The Finance Log (Simple Ledger)
Create a new database with columns: Date, Category (select: Rent, Food, Fun), Amount (number), and Notes. Use the built-in “Table” template. Tip: Add a “Rollup” property on a separate summary page to sum the Amount column – then you get a running total without math. Keep only one entry per day to avoid clutter.
5. The Reading List (Book Notes)
Use the “Book Tracker” template. Add a Rating property (1–5 stars) and a Status select (To Read, Reading, Finished). For each book, create a child page – paste quotes and your takeaways. Tip: Use the “Backlinks” feature (type “[[” and the book’s name) to connect your notes to other pages, like your project dashboard.
FAQ
Q: Do I need to pay for these templates?
A: No – all five are available free inside Notion’s template gallery (click “Templates” in the sidebar) or can be built from scratch in under 5 minutes.
Q: How do I link templates together?
A: Type “@” followed by a page name in any text block, then click the suggestion – this creates a clickable link. For databases, use “Relation” properties to connect entries across different databases.
Q: What if I accidentally delete a template?
A: Right-click any page in the sidebar → “Duplicate” to recreate it. For lost database views, click the “…” menu on your database → “Layout” → “Add View” to rebuild the board or calendar view.
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