August Bradley’s ‘Notion Life Design System’ — Here’s How To Build It For Free
Have you ever heard of Notion? If not, you’ve been missing out.
Notion is one of the most powerful organisational tools which can transform the way you manage your life.
The potential of this tool is seemingly endless, which, while a great advantage, can be pretty overwhelming.
The problem with a system that has limitless potential, is that it usually takes quite a bit of time to master, and Notion is no different.
As a long time user of Notion, I can say with confidence that it is one of the most powerful tools for organising your life. And the best part?
It’s Free.
When I began using Notion, I recognised immediately the impact it could have on my life.
The problem was, I had no idea where to begin.
Fortunately, there are Notion experts that generously share their expertise and essentially provide the keys to Notion.
Enter, August Bradley.
For me, August Bradley is THE Notion expert. His YouTube content is nothing short of phenomenal. He offers invaluable insights into making the most of this versatile tool.
August also offers two paid course on Notion design:
- A Notion Life Design Course
- A Notion for Teams Course
His Notion Life Design Course revolves around a system he refers to as Pillars, Pipelines and Vaults (PPV). The goal of this system?
Life Optimisation.
The best thing about this system, is that if you are willing to put in the effort, you can build it for free using an entire playlist that August has provided on YouTube.
Not only does this playlist teach you to build the PPV system, but it’s like a Masterclass in using Notion.
What Exactly is the PPV system?
At it’s core, the PPV system is a framework aimed at optimising performance in all aspects of your life.
It’s designed to help you clarify exactly what you want to achieve in your life and subsequently, to ensure your daily actions align with these targets.
It’s not uncommon to have separate systems for various aspects of your life. For instance, you might have a system for tracking your workouts at the gym and another one for managing your work tasks. The PPV system allows you to bring everything together into one holistic framework for managing and tracking your life.
By implementing the PPV system, you gain a clear and objective perspective on your life. It becomes a tool for evaluating whether your daily actions are propelling you toward your desired goals.
August Bradley outlines three primary objectives of the PPV System:
- Focus (Pillars): Ensures you dedicate your attention to what truly matters in your life.
- Alignment (Pipelines): It ensures that your day-to-day activities are directly in sync with your overarching life goals.
- Knowledge (Vaults): It provides a structured space to gather and organize valuable information, such as books, articles, courses, and tools.
Let’s Dive Deeper into the PPV Components:
Pillars
These represent the fundamental life areas where you need to direct your focus. August emphasises 3 primary life segments.
- Growth
- Home/Life
- Business
Within these, you define your primary pillars. For example, within Growth, we may have Pillars like Health & Fitness. Within Home/Life, you may have Family or Personal Finance as Pillars.
Pipelines
This is where the actions take place. In this phase, projects take shape, tasks are created, and goals are actively monitored and pursued.
Vaults
This is where you gather and organize all the valuable information you wish to utilize. This could include books, articles, courses, tools, and more.
Reviews
This is perhaps one of the most important elements of the system.
August advocates for regular reviews, commencing with daily tracking and extending to weekly & monthly assessments, and beyond.
My Notion System
Seeing the system in action can make things a bit clearer. To illustrate, let me walk you through how I’ve implemented it in my personal Notion Life Operating System.
There are 4 Primary Categories in the Life OS Dashboard:
- Focus
- Growth
- Business
- Life
Within each life segment, you’ll find our pillars (note that my Business Pillar is a work in progress as I’ve recently integrated it).
When you click into each pillar, you’ll discover links to various actions and process flows, including:
- Goal Outcomes
- Habits & Routines
- Projects
All these elements contribute to the ‘Focus’ section on the left-hand side of the dashboard.
The ‘Action Zone’ is where I begin my day.
Under the ‘Today’ dropdown, I can track things like weight and meditation. Additionally, I maintain a comprehensive list of action items for the day that directly contribute to advancing my projects (which are also visible on this page).
Would I Build It Again?
Absolutely. Here’s why:
- It effectively acted as a Notion training course.
- I genuinely appreciate the system’s design.
- It provides a centralized platform for managing my life.
- It keeps my goals and actions at the forefront of my mind.
Should You Build It?
Well, it really depends.
- Do you like systems? If not, or your find them a bit tedious, then this is not for you.
- Do you want to be better at Notion? If so, then in my opinion, this is a worthwhile endeavour, even if you don’t use the system.
Note: The YouTube course doesn’t provide you with everything — So you do need to problem solve and it will never be the full system. Otherwise there would be little need to buy his course! Consider that before embarking on this journey.
I’ve attempted to provide a solid overview and a quick peek into what makes this system so powerful. Even if you choose not to build it, I strongly encourage you to explore the YouTube channel and the playlist. There, you’ll discover the true power of the system.
Think about what works for you. If you have the time and the desire, this is a worthwhile pursuit.
