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Opportunity report

Notes become a 'graveyard' — Notion is bad for quick recall

Many users find Notion (and database‑centric systems) heavy for quick capture and suffer from notes that never reappear when they're needed. Workarounds include keeping a separate lightweight capture app or using AI/automations to resurface items. There's explicit desire for UX patterns (fading memory, scheduled resurfacing) to keep captured notes alive.

Worth it score 80
High confidence
4 signals
8 evidence

Persona

1 evidence
Notion power users and everyday note-takers who want both quick capture and long-term retrieval (students, professionals building second brains).

“I've been all in on Notion for a good couple years now... But notes in databases just never fully clicked for me either.”

view evidence on reddit

Pain

3 evidence
People dump notes into Notion (or other tools) but the notes don't resurface when needed; capture-to-action flow is broken and bulky DB‑based note models make quick note capture and later recall difficult.

“I write everything down, but it rarely shows up at the right time.”

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“I just can't use Notion for note taking... something about storing notes in a database, no matter how much organisation I do - notes in databases just never fully clicked for me.”

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+1 more evidence

“The Core Mechanic: The app is not merely a chronological sort but rather has Fading Memory algorithm... When you have not looked at a thought in a while it begins to fade... The thoughts come to the surface of the app in the active Fading Soon tab.”

view evidence on reddit

Workaround

3 evidence
Users split workflows: use Notion for projects/structured databases and other lighter apps (Apple Notes, Bear, Obsidian, Google Keep, Capacities) for ephemeral or quick notes; some automate resurfacing (random-note scripts or Notion AI agents).

“I use Apple Notes for quick capture; Notion is my personal project management foundation.”

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“I use my Notion AI agent to resurface them in projects or collect actionable items.”

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+1 more evidence

“I listened to a podcast... set up a script/automation that every day would grab a random note and email/showcase it to me.”

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Desire

1 evidence
A system that captures quickly but also deliberately resurfaces useful notes (e.g., fading/decay, scheduled rediscovery, or automatic surfacing via AI) rather than becoming an unread archive.

“The Core Mechanic: a 'Fading Memory' algorithm ... When you have not looked at a thought in a while it begins to fade ... These thoughts come to the surface of the app in the active Fading Soon tab.”

view evidence on reddit
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Contents

PersonaPainWorkaroundDesire

Evidence sources

https://www.reddit.com/r/Notion/comments/1prr3t4/i_just_cant_use_notion_for_notes/×2https://www.reddit.com/r/Notion/comments/1q4iv9o/i_became_sick_of_my_notes_becoming_a_graveyard/×2https://www.reddit.com/r/Notion/comments/1q2f13t/anyone_else_write_notes_in_notion_and_never_see/×1https://www.reddit.com/r/Notion/comments/1prr3t4/i_just_cant_use_notion_for_notes/nv5npmv/×1https://www.reddit.com/r/Notion/comments/1q2f13t/anyone_else_write_notes_in_notion_and_never_see/nxd3imp/×1https://www.reddit.com/r/Notion/comments/1q2f13t/anyone_else_write_notes_in_notion_and_never_see/nxwj4tx/×1
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