Is Notion Calendar actually useful? Or is it useless?

Going back and forth between apps... what's the deal?

Waking up in the morning, touching my phone to check LINE,
checking emails,
then opening note, and before I know it, I'm looking at Instagram,
and then, 'Wait? What was my schedule for today?' so I open Google Calendar,
but my shopping list is written in my notepad...

Ugh! My brain gets tired in the morning from jumping between too many apps.

Isn't there an app where I can see everything I need to do today in one place?
That's when Notion came along.

I heard it has a calendar feature, too,
so I thought, 'Well, let's give it a try,' and that's how I started.

When I think about it, what I do every day is...
• Worrying about what to make for breakfast and dinner (and being asked 'What's for dinner?' every day)
• Replying to work emails, checking Google Meet schedules
• Taking a break with a walk (but forgetting how many steps I took)
• Forgetting the title of a book right after reading it
• The chaos of my kids' extracurricular schedules (including rescheduling)

These are all just 'schedules' and 'records'.
And since I write them in different apps, it's a pain to look back at them.

I'm quite the lazy person.

So I thought, 'Wouldn't it be refreshing if I could see all of this at once?' and that's why I set my sights on Notion Calendar.

[PC Version Notion Calendar Setup Steps]

Alright, first, here are the steps to install it on your computer.
You can do it the same way on both Windows and Mac.

【PC Version Notion Calendar Setup Steps】
1. Download Notion Calendar.
You can download Notion Calendar from theofficial Notion website.
Access the official Notion Calendar websiteand click on 'Get Notion Calendar for free'.
The download will start according to the OS of the computer you are using (Windows or Mac).

2. Install Notion Calendar.
Open the downloaded file and follow the instructions on the screen to proceed with the installation.
You don't need any special settings, so you can finish it just by clicking a few times.

3. Log in with your Google account.
Once the installation is finished, launch Notion Calendar.
When you launch it for the first time, you'll be asked to log in with a Google account, so it's best to log in with the same Google account you use for Notion.
Then, your Google Calendar schedule will automatically sync with Notion Calendar.

4. Connect your Notion workspace.
After logging in, you'll see a prompt to 'Connect Notion workspace,' so choose the workspace you use in Notion and connect it.
This will allow you to sync the databases inside Notion with Notion Calendar.

5. Add a Notion database.
From the sidebar on the left side of Notion Calendar, click 'Add database' under 'Notion'.
Select the Notion database you want to sync (for example, task management or project management) and choose the date field you want to display on the calendar.
This will make the date information from your Notion database appear in Notion Calendar.

【Smartphone Version Notion Calendar Setup Steps】
Next, here are the steps to install it on your iPhone or Android smartphone.

1. Download the app.
Download the Notion Calendar app to your smartphone.
For iPhone:
Search for 'Notion Calendar' in the App Store and download it.
For Android:
Search for 'Notion Calendar' in the Google Play Store and download it.

2. Log in with your Google account.
Once you launch the app, you'll be asked to log in with your Google account just like on the PC version.
Log in with the same Google account you use for Notion.

3. Connect your Notion workspace.
After logging in, you'll be prompted to connect your Notion workspace just like on the PC version. Select the Notion workspace you want to sync and connect it.

4. Add a Notion database.
Tap the 'Calendar' icon from the menu at the bottom of the app screen, tap the '+' icon in the top right, and select 'Add database.' Just like on the PC version, select the Notion database you want to sync and the date field.
This will allow you to see your Notion databases in Notion Calendar from your smartphone as well.


Notion Calendar Tips
Consolidate various calendars.
You can manage all your schedules in one place by consolidating not just Google Calendar, but various calendar accounts into Notion Calendar.

Sync with Notion databases.
You can change dates or add items directly as events just by dragging and dropping Notion database items onto the calendar.

Quick add feature.
You can quickly add new events just by tapping on empty time slots on the calendar.
Time zone display.
You can display times from different countries together, which is super convenient for people who interact with people overseas a lot.
Create meetings.
You can create meetings like Google Meet or Zoom directly from within Notion Calendar ← (Personally, this is quite convenient).

Using Templates

Find and select a template in the Notion sidebar.
Search for 'calendar' and a schedule template will pop up!
The mechanism is that just by writing your schedule there, it automatically sorts by date.

② How to add schedules
• Click on the date on the screen
• Type in the title (e.g., child's extracurricular activity)
• You can also add notes (things to bring for a game, event schedule)

Furthermore...
You can also add tags to each schedule.

If you categorize them with tags like 'Cooking,' 'Exercise,' 'Reading,' and 'Family,' you can pick up only the categories you want to see!
It's like a shelf at a drugstore! (Maybe not quite, though)

From here on,
can I be honest?

Not many people say their true feelings, so I'll tell you.
I'll list the parts that might be hard to use.

At first, it looks really difficult, right?
You might think, 'I should have just used another calendar app...'

There's a lot of English, and words like 'properties' and 'databases'... there are so many unfamiliar terms that you might feel like throwing your phone again (lol).
But if you search for 'Notion Calendar how to use' on YouTube, there are plenty of detailed explanation videos, so you'll be fine.

Also, because the smartphone screen is small,
things like 'dragging to move a schedule' are a bit tricky.

Sometimes my fingers are dry and it doesn't react.
If you have a computer, it might be more comfortable to look at it there.
Summary
In the end, is Notion Calendar useful? Or useless?

[Answer]

'It's useful, but it takes a little getting used to!'

However, once you get used to it...

'Wow! I can see everything here! You'll be impressed.'
For me,
• Kids' schedules

• Meal planning notes
• note article management
• Walking records
Being able to see everything on one page is quite satisfying.
Well, for those who want to do everything with just one smartphone, it requires a little ingenuity, but I recommend it for people who want to keep their calendar and records together!

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I use Notion to gently support and help with emotional organization and self-dialogue for middle-aged and older people.
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