Notion for Polymaths
Look I know I’m not the first to tell you, that polymathic people love to learn. We love to find new things that interest us, and then hoard it all. It seems to foreign to me to think about how people used to only do it in notebooks and parchment.
Long gone are the days of the archaic pen and paper, although some folks still prefer that physical touch, and we now have a variety of digital tools at our disposal. In fact in my search for the best one I made a list of tools, so here is that for you.
https://polyinnovator.space/the-1-ultimate-list-of-task-project-management-software/
In the end I chose Notion, and let me tell you the reason.
Why is Notion.so perfect for the Polymathic?
I assume you know about polymathy if you are reading this post, but if not then jump here real quick and come back.
Alright, well people who have that generalist mindset, and especially those of a deeper multi-specialist lifestyle; They have a vast array of things in life to keep organized. From your various forms of hobbies, to your various work expertise.
Think about the life that you live now, and then think about the life YOU WANT TO LIVE.
That is how we must think in order to be in the right mindset here. When you first try out Notion you may be stuck. This is a matter of simplicity vs complexity, as you don't know what it is capable of doing yet.
Try thinking of it like this: If I gave you a bag of legos and told you to build a space ship, then it might take a while. There may be some gaps in the walls depending on what is in the bag, and it may not even be the best thing you could create with those parts. However if I were to give you a Starwars Lego spaceship set, that came with instructions. Not to mention all of the pieces you'd need, then you would be much better off!
How can we take full advantage?
When I first tried Notion, I hated it, as it felt like it was even more constrictive than other tools. That was on me however because I did not understand the tool. I tried making a database on a lower page, but didn't make it full width. Let alone know how Notion databases differed.
My point is that I had to give it another chance, maybe two, before I really started to see results. Not to mention I basically started from scratch, but finding templates here or there.
Later I created my own system, and that was the catalyst point. I created this system so you don't have to, but with enough room for you to experiment.
What is Notion?
It is an all in one productivity tool, that has anything from databases to kanban boards, and even Calendar or Ghantt views.
By using a database as your baseline, then anything on top of it, like different views, can all link back to it. That Master Task Database for example is the central hub, where everything can funnel into.
You CAN link a property to them however, and so a task can link out to the very content or course it is referring to. However that is manual!
Anyways, the system allows for a lego-like experience, and let's you build out any way you want.
What is Polymathy?
Being a polymath is being someone with multiple specialties. Many people make the mistake of comparing this concept to a Jack of All Trades. While the latter is more of a novice in many areas, a Polymath is someone who is an expert in 3 or more fields.
When you look at it like that, then it becomes clear that a normal system isn't going to cut it. A specialist just needs to organize that one main specialty, and perhaps a hobby. Whereas a multidisciplinary person has many areas to keep track of in life.
Hence why you'll need a system that can keep up with you!
How to Succeed as a Polymath with Notion:
I find that my system there above is generic enough to help: neurotypicals AND neurodivergents, generalists AND specialists, and anyone in between. However it is also complicated enough to be able to mesh with current systems you may have. For example I am building out a Zettlekasten-esque experience for my Resonance Inbox, however if you already have one. Then you can simply merge, or purge my template, and put it into the "Nano/Daily" tab.
The PolyInnovation Operating Works in the scale of time:
Supra/Yearly
Macro/Quarterly
Meso/Monthly
Micro/Weekly
Nano/Daily
Pico/Hourly
Giving you just enough range to organize your big picture thoughts, but enough grounded level scrutiny. That way you can work on your weaker area, but still account for your strengths.