How to Use Notion Templates for Beginners
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New to the Notion world and wondering how to use Notion templates? Knowing how to use templates on Notion correctly and in a way that maximizes your efficiency is trickier than many people think! Let me teach you how to customize Notion templates and make them a perfect fit for your Notion Dashboard! This Notion Beginners Guide to Templates is everything you need to get started! Once you know how to customize your Notion templates, you’ll be able to create workflows, Dashboards, and more completely tailored to you!
Completely new to Notion? Learn everything you need to know with my Notion for Beginners guide here!
Downloading a new Notion template is exciting…until the overwhelm of trying to use it effectively sets in! Check out my tips for getting started with, customizing, and integrating your new Notion template! You’ll be up and running in no time!
If you’re ready to dive right in and fully customize your Notion Dashboard, check out the 31 Day Dashboard Roadmap! It has everything you need to create an aesthetic, functional Notion Dashboard in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide!
What Are Notion Templates?
Notion templates are pages or Dashboard created by a Notion user and shared with others. Notion templates can be free or paid. The amount of features and the functionality of the template is typically reflected in the cost!
Notion templates can be created for just about anything. The more complicated the template, the more time will likely go into customizing it. Notion templates usually have instructions for users on how to best utilize the features, sometimes with videos.
The Benefits of Using Notion Templates
So why use a Notion template? Well…Notion can be kind of overwhelming, especially when you’re first starting. There’s a lot to learn and it takes quite a bit of time and effort to build functional pages. This is the number one reason I see people give up on using Notion.
Notion templates allow you to open and start using the template right away. Depending on the template, you may not even really need to customize much before you begin. You can just open the template and start using it!
Where to Find Notion Templates
Notion templates can be found in many places. Notion has a database of templates, both free and paid, that you can choose from. Many creators are offering Notion templates in exchange for joining their email list (me included!). You can also find Notion templates in independent shops and on Etsy.
Always make sure you read the description well and make sure you understand exactly how it works before you start deleting things! It’s not impossible to get it back, but it might be a real PITA!
My entire business is (currently) centered around creating Notion templates and resources. I create Notion templates, dashboards, and resources for people to use in real life. My goal is to create simple, easy-to-use templates that allow you to spend more time living and less time planning in your Notion! This means they’re easy to use (for the most part!) even if you’re new to Notion. I strive to create value-packed templates that aren’t full of stuff you don’t need.
Many of my Notion products are intended to be pages you add to your dashboard. For example, my cozy fall notion planner is a perfect way to add a fall aesthetic to your planner without having to change your entire dashboard. My Moving Planner for Notion isn’t something you’d use every day but can be added to the home section of your dashboard when you’re ready to move! I also have workshops that are part support, part Notion tutorial.
You can check out all of my templates, resources, workshops, and more here!
How to Customize Your New Notion Template
I highly recommend customizing a free or paid Notion template as soon as you duplicate it to your dashboard. Here are my favorite ways to customize Notion templates, from easiest to trickiest.
Change the Styling
Update the Cover Photo
Add your own images
Change titles
Customize the database layouts
Add new database views
Create or edit database templates
Duplicate and repurpose databases
You can find tutorials for all of these options in the 31 Day Dashboard Roadmap or on my TikTok!
How to Integrate a New Notion Template With Your Dashboard
So you have your Notion template, you’ve customized it, and you may have even started using it. But how do you make it accessible from your Dashboard?
There are three main ways to integrate with your Notion Dashboard. The more information you want to see, the more complicated it gets to integrate. But don’t worry, it’s nothing you can’t handle!
First, and easiest, is linking the page to your Dashboard. I like this option for a seasonal planner or other planner you either aren’t going to use all the time or are going to use in it’s entirety often. Just add a link somewhere in your hub for the page and click through when you’re ready to use it! Simple, easy, and effective!
Next, you can paste and sync a block or blocks anywhere else in your Notion. I find this works well with lists and Callout Boxes! Simply highlight the blocks you want to sync, copy, and paste wherever you want the blocks to also appear. When you paste, it’s important to select the “Paste and Sync” option, otherwise you’ve just made a duplicate!
Lastly, you can use a Linked Database View to add a database anywhere else in your Notion! To do this type /linked until Linked View of a Database appears. Select the Database you’d like to use and adjust the Layout and Filters until you’re seeing exactly what you’d like from your Database!
For more support in creating an aesthetic, functional Notion Dashboard, check out the 31 Day Dashboard Roadmap! It’s full of tutorials, tips, and resources!
What Notion template are you trying first? Have you decided how to best customize your Notion templates? I’m always available to help and, if you want support customizing your new Notion template (whether it’s from my shop or not!) check out my Notion Optimization Sessions! Together, we can customize your Notion template and integrate it into your current Dashboard seamlessly! Happy planning!
For more support in creating an aesthetic, functional Notion Dashboard, check out the 31 Day Dashboard Roadmap! It’s full of tutorials, tips, and resources!
