Notion: The project manager Superpower for ADHD Brains

The Art of Playing One's Own Role

Two hours of history this afternoon: I'll channel a young Harrison Ford in the front row, eagerly absorbing every detail about World War II. Donning a period costume, I'll scribble notes in my adventure journal.Suddenly, a bird flies through the window in the classroom. What if that blue bird had flown all the way to the Norman coast, the stage of the D-Day landings? My mind takes flight, here we go again… 

Living with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is like trying to fit a liter of water into a 50 cl container, or organizing a series of nested boxes, each one inside another. The ADHD brain works at high speed, generating a multitude of potentially brilliant ideas in rapid succession. However, this constant influx of thoughts and information can become overwhelming, creating a paradoxical paralysis that impedes the brain's ability to take action.Younger, I played video games extensively (and still do), and I often noticed how satisfying it was to complete a quest. That rush of accomplishment isn't just in your head; it's a flood of dopamine, the brain's reward chemical, telling you that you've done something right. This feeling isn't limited to the digital realms of gaming; it can also occur in your real life when you accomplish a project.

Today I partner with Notion to discuss the importance of choosing effective tools for project management and life organization in general. Replicating the rewarding experience of playing video games in our daily tasks can set us up for both personal and professional success. It can be the breath of fresh air you've been desperately needing.

Your ADHD,

Your RULES.

Let's illustrate with the First of our Prism Free-Go launched in 2022. I had to craft a cabine with no clue of how to make handmade construction, my brain immidatly started to flourish like sparkling water, but my ultimate goal was : set up a communitarian fridge.

The mission of setting up a mission

The  board in Notion provide a clear, visual structure for what needs to be done. Breaking larger projects into smaller, manageable "quests" helps overcome the overwhelm that people with ADHD often experience when faced with big tasks. In my case in need materials, a place where to put it, a way to finance it, partners. As ideas where automatically overwhelming the brain the only job you have here to do is to create new card on the board on motion to put It out of your minds immidiatly drawing your path to you subobjectives or your « battle boss » as I like to call them . 

create new card as your "battle boss" ⚔️

Notion's powerful features, such as databases, kanban boards,  can help you break down complex projects into manageable tasks, set deadlines, and track your progress. This can be especially valuable for individuals with ADHD who struggle with task prioritization and time management. It will help you find bridges between tasks, assisting you in creating innovative ways to accomplish your goals.

While we had to build the cabinet for the fridges, we were also launching a crowdfunding campaign. It became obvious using Notion for project management that while crafting the structure, we could record our construction efforts to create content for the crowdfunding campaign.

🧠 The view of progression to help the reparation of brain efforts

Notion's visual elements, such as embedded images, videos, and rich media, can help keep your ADHD brain engaged and stimulated. This can be particularly beneficial for individuals who thrive on visual learning and information processing. It takes a very flexible, block-based approach that allows users high degrees of customization in how they structure and visualize information. This open-ended format plays to strengths in divergent thinking that some with ADHD possess. It also means users can tailor setups precisely to their needs and work styles.

I also appreciate how Notion promotes a non-linear thinking approach through its linked database functionality. This allows bouncing between related ideas Eclipse-style in a way that traditional linear lists do not support as well. Flexible thinking with visualization is an asset that Notion may help strengthen.

Shoutout to the feature allowing me to add GIFs to the card, making my board look like a monitor controller operating from the Batcave! 🦇

🐇 Managing Schedule

- I’m late, I'm late, for a very important date - « Alice in wonderland » 

Research has revealed structural and functional differences in the prefrontal cortex and striatum of people with ADHD. These brain regions are vital for executive functions such as planning, prioritizing, and switching tasks flexibly. Deficiencies in these areas can hinder effective time management. Fortunately, there are strategies to enhance these executive function networks, making time management more manageable over time. 

For instance, using Notion's Timeline View can be likened to the XP system in video games. These progress bars provide immediate feedback, which is especially beneficial for individuals with ADHD who might have difficulty with delayed gratification. This feature helps identify and address any blind spots in your project timeline. It allows you to view the scope and deadlines of projects, but with added flexibility and customizability.

Sustainable thinking environment  for taking action Notion has a built-in calendar view that syncs with your tasks and deadlines, giving you a high-level overview of your schedule. This helps you identify potential conflicts or gaps in your calendar. If you're working on a team, Notion makes it easy to assign tasks, communicate progress, and hold each other accountable. This can be especially helpful for managing time-sensitive projects. You will just have to less think and be more in the action. 


Importing Data from Trello, Asana, Evernote into Notion

Notion offers a versatile import feature that allows users to seamlessly transfer their work from various project management and productivity tools. Whether you're using Trello, Asana, Evernote, Quip, Google Docs, or Monday.com, Notion provides a straightforward process to import your existing boards, tasks, and documents. This functionality ensures a smooth transition, preserving your data structure and content while adapting it to Notion's flexible workspace. By supporting imports from these popular platforms, Notion enables users to consolidate their work into a single, customizable environment without losing valuable information or workflow continuity.

But is Notion Worth the Investment?

Notion's flexible pricing model makes it an accessible productivity solution for users across a wide range of needs and budgets. The platform offers a free personal plan that provides ample functionality for individual users, including unlimited pages, databases, and file uploads. For teams and businesses, Notion's paid plans start at a reasonable $8 per user per month for the Team plan, which unlocks advanced collaboration features like permissions, templates, and version history. At the enterprise level, Notion's Business plan, priced at $15 per user per month, delivers enhanced security, onboarding, and administration controls. Regardless of the plan, Notion's transparent and predictable pricing allows organizations to scale their usage seamlessly as their needs evolve.

Conclusion

So take that liter of water, pour it into your 50 cl container, and watch it overflow with brilliant ideas and tools to handle it well. A project management tool like Notion can be your trusted ally, helping you organize those nested boxes, complete your quests, and savor the dopamine rush of true accomplishment. Your ADHD brain was made for this, so it's time to play with it instead !

Discover Notion

PRISM OPERATiONS

Bridge new relationships between communities through the Prism of a self-service refrigerator network to combat food waste. Geneva, Switzerland 🇨🇭 .

PRISM 002 Free-Go