The "Pro-sumer" Trap And Why Notion Doesn’t Do it For Me Anymore
Notion is a beast, but more features often mean more friction. I spent years "procrastin-working" on pretty tables instead of moving the needle. Now, I choose focus over complexity. If a tool doesn't "just work," it’s a burden.
I saw a thread today that made me stop and exhale a sigh of relief. Derick Moncado posted about Notion not being easy to use, and the replies were a choir of "amen."
I’ll be honest: I used to be a Notion power user. I spent half a decade building "the perfect system" for my personal projects and my teams. I had databases linked to galleries linked to habit trackers. It looked like a digital masterpiece.
But about two years ago, I walked away.
Why? Because I realized I was spending more time doodling with tables to make them look pretty than actually doing the work that moves the needle for my clients. I was "procrastin-working."
As a fractional executive, my value is in focus and execution. But Notion started feeling like a beast I had to tame every morning. Even worse, trying to get clients on board was like asking them to learn a new language just to see a project update. It became a burden, not a tool that "just worked."
Less is (Actually) More
In marketing, we talk about "frictionless" experiences for customers. So why do we tolerate so much friction in our own workflows?
Whether you’re a serial entrepreneur or a dad trying to keep the grocery list straight, the goal shouldn't be to have the most powerful tool—it should be to have the most invisible tool. I wanted:
• Fewer features, more focus.
• Less complexity, more clarity.
• Zero learning curve for my team and clients.
We fall into this trap of thinking that if a tool can do everything, it should do everything. But "everything" is often just a distraction from the "one thing" that actually matters.
The takeaway for your Wednesday:
Check your toolbox. Is that app, that process, or even that marketing software actually helping you win, or are you just spending your life "managing" the tool? If it doesn't "just work," it might be time to let it go.