Why do people buy Notion templates, use them enthusiastically for a few days, and then stop? This guide examines a Reddit user who repeatedly bought productivity templates before finally keeping one by deleting roughly 70% of it. Rather than arguing that templates are inherently bad or that minimal systems always win, it looks at workflow fit, maintenance cost, Properties, Second Brain design, custom tools, and how to choose a Notion template that can actually survive everyday use.

More features do not automatically make a better Notion template. This article looks at fixed-schema databases, abandoned Second Brain systems, long-running complex setups, Formula and Automation dependencies, and the real maintenance cost of building a Notion workspace that still makes sense months later.