# I built NotionToCalendar.com

Notion to Calendar is an application that allows you to take your date-based databases to any calendar app you use.

It was conceived as a side project that I wanted to run in August 2022.

## What does Notion to Calendar do?

Notion to Calendar collects documents from a Notion database, transforms its properties into iCal properties and exposes a URL to access the data for Calendar Apps to consume. In essence, it translates from A to B with the user's credentials.

## Where does the idea come from

At the end of 2021, I saw Marcos Sorribas' tweet that inspired me to start working on the project: 

https://twitter.com/MarcosSorribas/status/1456540456494436354

In August 2022, my wife was traveling for a month, which left me time to do "everything I always want to do but never have time for". 

So I created a Notion Database to organize my projects.

That's when I realized how useful it would be to have the calendar view in my iPhone calendar, along with the rest of the calendars I use usually. The idea of creating Notion to Calendar was born.

## Technical objectives

In terms of development, my objectives were:

- Refining concepts: Hexagonal Architecture - All implementations are done under their own layer
- Build with no database so I don't have to maintain that cost.
- Testing new tools - LogSnag
- Building a component base that can be portable for other projects - not really sure because as a designer I'm not the best.

## Challenges of setting up such an application

The biggest challenge was being able to work with the Notion API.

At the time, the API changed with new versions, so I had to do several changes within the development, so I had to decouple myself from the official library and work under my own implementation.

Likewise, the types that Notion's official library gives you have many shortcomings, which took me several turns to understand what they were returning to me and make the code understand it.

Another challenge was adapting hexagonal architecture concepts to serverless environments, as well as dealing with limitations with images.

## Infraestructure

This application is created with Vercel + Next.js + Tailwind.

The Login system is done with NextAuth with a bespoke adapter for Notion, the Notion SDK, and the blog runs from a specific page of a dedicated Workspace.

## Use cases

Notion to Calendar users are using it to keep track of their exams, visualize calendars managed in Notion along with other normal calendars, receive native notifications on the mobile without also having Notion's, share the URL between several people to have the same information (events like Walpurgis, organized trips, content communities, etc.), have a log of when things have happened or where you have been, organize projects, manage their vacations, and many other things.

## Improvements

In terms of improvements, both at a non-technical (design) and technical (field mapper, select which field is the date field, iCal importer, etc.) level, there is always something to improve.

## User traction

I currently have few users, with almost daily dripping. Most of them are students from all over the world and some curious. Most of them come from the Notioners community on Twitter, where they mainly move, and from the long tail of searches.

## Monetization

I was going to sell it cheap, but I decided to leave it free until I reach a mass of users. The cost 0 allows me not to have to monetize it or discard it, since other projects of the same type do not have monetization. I don't want to close it because of the opportunities that may arise.

## Lessons learned

I learned that hexagonal architecture has a lot of ceremony and is overkill for small applications.

Decoupling libraries is much better.

I realised that Notion as content management system is caviar.

I will continue developing projects having it as a backend.

In addition, I discovered that almost all the ideas that come to you for a side project are probably already out there. That doesn't mean they should not be done, since you do not know the unexpected opportunities that may arise, or the twist you can give it.

I also understood that this tool can be mounted with Zapier, Make.com, and many other utilities, but the Notion API allows you to do things that neither they nor any other service do.

That's where the oportunity lies.

You can try [Notion to Calendar](https://notiontocalendar.com?ref=https://txemaleon.com/writing/i-built-notiontocalendar-com) for free.

Notion to Calendar is an application that allows you to take your date-based databases to any calendar app you use....

I built NotionToCalendar.com

# Focus on Output

I've been an introvert most of my life. I like to stay at home and make stuff to fill my curiosity.

This made me a nice researcher. I research and test whatever I find interesting, mostly computers stuff.

But I've found out that researching, testing, and not putting the results out there, makes most of the stuff I find out useless. It's not only not useful to anybody, but most times it's also useless to me. Is rarely used again.

Following my curiosity fuels my creativity, but I put too much effort in curiosity which never pays out.

So I decided I'll start **focusing on output**.

> Focusing on output is how I filter what's valuable, what is *more* valuable, and to maintain the discipline to reach it.

If something can't make an output, anything which makes a difference to someone or that you can publish (so other people can find it useful or make a difference with it), probably is not worth the time to work on it.

Making a difference is not always making something new, but to make something better that what's already out there.

Focusing on output means to not abandon an idea once you found out is worth it.

It means *discipline* to stay on track until you can reach that output, and ignore everything else while you're working on it. *Focus*.

Focusing on output also means *publish*. If you don't publish, tweet, or share, and don't visit your conclusions after a while, is as if you made nothing. Is a waste of time.

And Time is limited.

Focus on Output. Build. Publish. Share.

I've been an introvert most of my life. I like to stay at home and make stuff to fill my curiosity.

This made me a nice researc...

Focus on Output

# Managing Noise

I find increasingly difficult to disconnect from social media and focus on tasks I need to do on my computer.

A list of source of information I use to check:

- Twitter/Instagram
- Reddit
- Youtube/Twitch
- Newsletters

This is not the case with tasks out of the screen.

With the years I've developed this habit of consulting my phone continuously, even when there are no new stuff to look at.

The FOMO is too high but at the same time, I've been on this wheel for years now and I know for a fact that being on top of all my feed serves no purpose to me.

## Fixing FOMO

Whenever I must fix some kind of habit, most times I do it the same way: *What did staying on top o X did for me the last year?*.

Most times, the answer is *Nothing*.

Because spending big chunks of time on social media rarely gives you anything useful.

Of corse, there is always new interesting articles, or videos to read or watch, but you need to make something with them, you must act. And most times you just scroll to read/watch something new, so you forget what you just saw.

So all in all, scrolling mindlessly gets time from you, but rarely gives you back.

## Cutting the noise is like quitting smoking, you either do it, or you don't 

I'm conscious about what I follow on almost every social network, but it is not enough.

Even when you follow small groups of content sources, you just keep looping over every app to find something else to check.

iOS Screen Time is not useful either. Whenever I find a "You just reached your time limit today" I just pass over it.

So the best solution to get my time back is to cut it from the root and don't check anything during the day.

Even at night, I'm only allowing myself to check social media for one hour, and that's it.

## Changing habits it's the hardest part

It's not the first time I have to change a habit of something I do every few minutes, every day.

And I know the best way to change an habit is to substitute it for other.

What do you change checking social media with?

I'm not sure but in the meantime, I'll start leaving the phone out of arm reach.

I already try to not get the iPad or the phone out of the room where I have my computer, specially not taking it to the bedroom.

But most importantly, I must change inputs for outputs.

Instead of focusing on reading, focusing on writing.

Instead of watching YouTube, finish some side projects. Even make videos about it.

Instead of getting stuck on someone else messages, iterate on new stuff.

I find increasingly difficult to disconnect from social media and focus on tasks I need to do on my computer.

A list of source o...

Managing Noise

# Hello (Again)

Every couple years I try to start writing a blog and most times I fail miserably.

Some times it's because I want to share something in particular, some times it's about trying new things and having a playfield to try new ideas.

Anyway, here comes a new beginning, this time just with the purpose of reflecting some ideas about development, team work, and how to enjoy life as a developer.

## Why even blogging at all

Yeah it's 2021 and the new thing is having a newsletter or a YouTube channel.

Some people say writing daily is a good habit to develop. It helps focus and retention of ideas, and reflecting daily provides a way to see in perspective how much you're going forward.

I want to try that.

My plan is to write at least 52 posts this year, a minimum of once per week, with ideas I've found interesting or shower thoughts I need to put in order.

Taking Notes has been an obsession for me for the last year. I read a lot but I retain so little, I need to write down the core ideas I find the most interesting.

Taking notes, and grouping ideas, are a great way to form something to share.

## Not everything is ideas and reflection

The last year has been difficult for everyone, specially to find jobs. It also has been for me since the project I was working for had a massive downfall in sales.

As I was a freelancer, I suddenly had no income, and had a hard time finding new projects where I fit in.

Part of that difficulty was because I have no outlet and no projects to share with recruiters or founders. A blog is a good showcase about what I know, what are my ideas, and who am I in general.

I think job providers can find this useful, and I'm all about making people with interesting projects easy to know if I'm a good fit for their company.

## A new beginning

A new design, typescript, next.js, tailwindcss…

I'll talk about the stack in another post since this Is not supposed to be a technical one, but what I had in Gatsby was a design crime and I wanted something simpler, more iterative, and good looking.

I hope you enjoy what I have to say. [Follow me on Twitter](https://twitter.com/soytxemaleon).

Writing