This is the documentation for the Commonplace Ecosystem template — get it for free on the Notion Marketplace:

River Not a Bucket

1. How the Commonplace Ecosystem works

The Commonplace Ecosystem is a set of four connected databases: Notes, Topics, Tasks and Initiatives.

They work together as a simple flow:

• Notes are at the center of the ecosystem.
• You can put the Notes into Topics to keep related Notes together.
• Sometimes, the notes you write have actionable items. You can easily create Tasks from your Notes with just one click.
• The Tasks can also be grouped together into Initiatives.

Star what resonates

This ecosystem is built so you can capture all your notes without overthinking where they go, then easily see which ones truly matter.

Every note in the system has a ⭐ Star button. Use it whenever a Note feels important, alive, or worth seeing again.

There is a ⭐ Starred view that shows all your starred items, so the ideas and commitments that resonate most never get lost in the noise.