How My Notion System Became My Worst Enemy
And How Janice Helped Me Fix It
I thought I had built the perfect Notion system.
Until it became a productivity nightmare.
What started as a well-structured, automated workflow slowly turned into a trap.
Instead of making my life easier, I was spending more time managing my system than actually doing work.
Every task felt like an obligation to maintain my Notion setup not actually move my work forward.
I knew something had to change, but I was stuck.
I had built a system that was too rigid to evolve.
That’s when I had a two-hour session with Janice CK in May 2024.
In just that one call, she helped me untangle the mess I had created and find clarity again.
She showed me how to strip away the unnecessary rules I had set up, simplify my Notion, and rebuild something that actually worked for me.
Now, my Notion is back to being a useful project management tool, not a productivity trap.
I share this because digital clutter isn’t just about messy files on your desktop screen or chaotic dashboards.
It’s about mental and emotional weight, too.
And that’s exactly what Janice is here to talk about today.
The Hidden Cost of Digital Disorganization (and What to Do About It Right Now)
If you’re reading this, you probably spend a lot of work and personal time in digital workspaces and tools.
It’s so easy for digital clutter to pile up, if we don’t have systems and workflows in our lives to help us.
Like physical clutter, if you don’t deal with with the digital clutter and disorganisation, it will eventually take a toll on us.
3 hidden costs of digital disorganisation
Mental Overload. It can be mentally taxing and overwhelming. Distracting us from doing work that matters.
Emotional Frustration. We can feel anxious, frustrated or even guilty about our clutter.
Financial Waste. Disorganisation can lead to inefficiencies in how we deal with clients or our business processes. It can cause us to waste time on low leverage work instead of high leverage work like giving clients an awesome experience.
When you becomes digitally organised, you eliminate these costs and experience more inner calm, save time, and boost your focus and productivity.
The good news?
I’ll share the one big rule and the 5 principles I use personally (and when working with clients), so you can kick start getting digitally organised today.
Use the Goldilocks rule as your North Star to create systems that work for you and your right level of organisation
There is no perfect system, right way or one way.
I recommend using the Goldilocks Rule as your North Star when organising and designing systems in your digital life.
That means only creating systems and getting to the right level of organisation (nothing more) in your digital workspaces that allows you to:
Quickly find what you need.
Spend your time productively and focused on the things that truly matter.
Feel good about how you work in and interact with your digital workspaces.
How? Read on…
The 5 principles I follow when I design digital workspaces for myself (and my clients):
Prioritise simplicity, function and ease of use over complexity.
Create a workspace based on your specific needs and goals, not what’s nice to have.
Ask yourself what problems do you want your digital workspaces/tools to solve for you?
Aim to reduce time spent in the tool, so you can spend more time on things that matter outside of the tool.
Keep the aesthetics clean and simple, so that it’s not a distraction but instead a space for calm, focus and productivity.
But what tool should I use?
You’re spoiled with choice… There are a ton of digital tools out there to help you get (and stay organised).
I use Notion to run my business and keep track of all aspects of my life (e.g. tasks, projects, notes, knowledge management, clients, meal planning).
I like Notion because it’s super flexible and customisable tool that allows me to create systems and workflows to help me be at my Goldilocks level of organisation.
If you’re looking to break free from clutter and streamline your Notion setup (even if you’re a beginner), you don’t need more time… you need a system that actually works for you.
That’s exactly what Clutter to Clarity in Notion helps you do.
This FREE 5-day email course will help you:
Declutter your Notion in minutes (without losing important info)
Build a system that scales with you - not another rigid template.
Unlock the full power of Notion databases to organize your projects and ideas effortlessly
Click here to start Streamlining Your Notion Today (Available for a limited time)
— Janice
Coming Up Next... My Personal Digital Workflow
Janice’s system helped me simplify my Notion, but Notion isn’t my only tool.
While it’s great for organizing my business, I use Obsidian for deep thinking and writing.
But managing multiple tools can be a mess.
How do I keep them from becoming another productivity trap?
Next week, I’ll break down my personal digital workflow.
Including how I balance Notion and Obsidian, and how I stay focused without digital overwhelm.
If you’ve ever struggled with picking the right tools (or keeping them from running your life), don’t miss it.
Live courageously,
Dayo Samuel 💯