How to create recurring tasks in Notion? (Easy Notion 2024 Tutorial)

For a long time, automated recurring tasks were the Achilles heel of Notion.

Notion is an excellent tool, but without a native solution for creating recurring tasks, it forced its users to develop complicated workarounds.

That sucked when you were using Notion as a task manager.

Thomas Frank – the famous Notion Templates Creator – even created a bot with Make.com to create recurring tasks in his Notion database.

Sure, some advanced power users probably joined him, but for the majority of Notioneers, Frank’s approach was just overkill.

The best solution I discovered was suggested by August Bradley in his famous Youtube series

Instead of marking a task as complete, August simply moved the date to a new recurring date.

Boom! This method worked, and I used it for almost 2 years. But the truth is, doing recurring tasks in Notion like that wasn’t satisfactory.

I mean, most of Notion’s competitors like Coda or Todoists offered easy in-app solutions. No wonder the Notion community had been begging developers for this feature for a long time.

On the 8th of November 2022 Notion finally released an update that included recurring tasks with repeating database templates.

Thank you, Notion! 🙏

In this post, I’ll show you how to use this feature and give my honest feedback on its usability.

This is the first instance of actual automation existing in the Notion app itself. Thomas Frank

Why are Recurring Tasks Useful?

Recurring tasks are useful for several reasons:

1. Efficiency: They save time by automating the process of creating and managing repetitive tasks. Instead of manually recreating tasks in your Notion workspace each time, you automatically create them at specified intervals.
2. Consistency: Recurring tasks help maintain consistency in your workflow by ensuring that important tasks are consistently completed on time. This can be especially beneficial for tasks that need to be done regularly, such as weekly reports or monthly reviews.
3. Organization: They contribute to better organization of your tasks and task database. With recurring tasks, you can keep track of ongoing commitments and deadlines more effectively, reducing the risk of forgetting important tasks.
4. Productivity: By automating repetitive tasks, recurring tasks free up mental energy and time that can be allocated to more creative or high-priority work, thereby increasing overall productivity.
5. Flexibility: Notion allows you to customize recurring tasks according to your specific needs. You can set them to recur at different frequencies (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.) and adjust the recurrence pattern as needed.

In summary, automated recurring tasks in Notion are valuable tools for improving efficiency, consistency, organization, productivity, and flexibility in your workflow.

How to create recurring tasks in Notion (11.2022 Update)

First, use an existing database or create a new one. To create recurring tasks, click on the arrow inside the blue box.

Click on +New Template.

A template page appears. Name it and make sure that all of the property settings are set up correctly.

Now, you can make your tasks recurring by using the Repeat menu.

You can choose between daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly repeat. For most use cases the weekly option works best. Here you can also specify on which day of the week a task should be repeated. This is for example a great option for tasks that need to be done on working days but not during the weekend.

Conclusion – How well are the recurring tasks in Notion working?

In conclusion, the introduction of recurring tasks in Notion marks a significant milestone in the platform’s functionality, addressing a longstanding deficiency. Previously, users had to resort to complex workarounds or third-party solutions to create recurring tasks effectively. With this update, Notion has enhanced efficiency, consistency, organization, productivity, and flexibility within its ecosystem. While there may be some initial bugs to iron out, such as issues with certain properties in recurring task templates, the overall impact is substantial. This development positions Notion as a more robust project management tool for companies, catering to the needs of both individual users and businesses alike.

Questions Frequently Asked by Clients

• Can I set up recurring tasks in Notion for different frequencies? Yes, Notion allows you to set up recurring tasks for various frequencies including daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly repeats. This flexibility enables you to customize task recurrence based on your specific needs and workflow.
• How do I create a recurring task in Notion? To create a recurring task in Notion, you can use an existing database or create a new tasks database. Then, click on the arrow inside the blue box and select “+New Template”.This will create a new database template. Name the template and ensure that all property settings are configured correctly. Finally, use the Repeat menu to specify the recurrence frequency and any additional parameters.
• What if I need to set up recurring tasks for specific days of the week? Notion provides the option to set up recurring tasks for specific days of the week. When configuring the recurrence settings, you can choose the weekly option and specify on which day(s) of the week the task should be repeated. This feature is particularly useful for tasks that need to be completed on certain working days but not on weekends.
• Are there any limitations or bugs with recurring tasks in Notion? While the introduction of recurring tasks is a significant milestone for Notion, there may be some initial limitations or bugs to be aware of. However, these are typically minor shortcomings that Notion’s development team is actively working to address.
• Can recurring tasks in Notion be integrated with other features or databases? Yes, recurring tasks in Notion can be integrated with other features and databases within the platform. This integration allows for seamless management of recurring tasks alongside other project management or organizational tools, enhancing overall workflow efficiency and coordination.

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