Why I Quit Notion (And You Might Want To)

For the past two years, I was obsessed with productivity. I built dashboards, habit trackers, daily planners, all in Notion. It felt like I was in control. But one day, I realized something terrifying: I spent more time tweaking my system than actually doing the work. That’s when I knew, I had to quit Notion.

The Illusion of Control

Notion gave me a high. Every new template I built made me feel like I was becoming more organized, more focused. But it was all an illusion. I wasn’t getting more done, I was just building better-looking systems to hide my procrastination.

I convinced myself that building the perfect workspace was part of the process. But deep down, I knew: I was hiding behind complexity.

The Hidden Cost of Customization

Notion’s power is its flexibility. But that flexibility became a trap. Every week I found myself editing my task database, redesigning my dashboard, or watching another “Top 10 Notion Hacks” video.

It was fun, addictively fun, but it didn’t help me move forward. I was chasing optimization instead of execution. And worst of all, I felt guilty. I had these beautiful systems... but my goals remained untouched.

Information Overload, Productivity Paralysis

With every new page and subpage, I was adding more mental clutter. Notion made it easy to dump everything into one place, but that didn’t mean I should. Instead of clarity, I had chaos disguised as structure.

I would open Notion to plan my day, only to spend 45 minutes "organizing", and end the day tired, without ticking anything meaningful off.

The Frustrating Slowness

Notion isn’t a light app. It looks simple, but under the hood, it’s bloated. Especially on mobile or slower internet, I often experienced:

• Long loading times when opening a page

• Lag when switching databases

• Slow response when typing in large pages

This ruined my flow.

I’d sit down to capture an idea or plan a task, and wait. That tiny pause was enough to derail my momentum. Productivity tools should disappear into the background. Notion kept pulling me out of focus.

I tried using the desktop app. I even cleared my cache and split my workspace. But nothing worked consistently.

Eventually, I asked myself:

“Why am I tolerating a tool that slows me down every day?”

My focus shifted from systems to outputs. From planning to doing.

What I Chose Instead

Quitting Notion didn’t mean I gave up on productivity. It meant I simplified.

• I moved my tasks to a paper notebook and Google Keep.

• I write my thoughts in Obsidian, with no fancy icons or toggles.

• I track my goals in a plain spreadsheet once a week.

• I stopped trying to optimize everything.

A Spiritual Shift

As a Muslim, I realized something deeper: I was obsessing over control. I was trying to predict, perfect, and plan everything. But in Islam, we are taught to tawakkul, to trust Allah after doing our part.

Now, I focus on doing what matters, one day at a time. I plan simply, act consistently, and rely on Allah for the rest.

Should You Quit Notion?

Maybe. Maybe not.

If Notion truly helps you, that's great. But if you feel tired, unfocused, or constantly tweaking instead of doing, ask yourself why.

Productivity isn't about beautiful dashboards. It's about meaningful results. Sometimes, less is more.

“Busy is not the same as productive. And structure is not the same as clarity.”

So... should you leave Notion? Only you can answer that.

But I can tell you this: quitting it brought me peace, clarity, and real progress. And maybe, it will do the same for you.