The Convergence of Skills: Lab Techs & Notion Template Developers

The Convergence of Skills: Lab Techs & Notion Template Developers

Read time: 4 mins

This is an ode to my previous job as a lab technician. I’m gonna delve into the similarities between a lab technician and a Notion template creator. On the surface, they appear worlds apart, one laboring in the hallowed halls of science, the other navigating the digital realm. However, dig a little deeper, and you’ll find an intriguing synergy. In this blog post, I’ll reveal how these two roles share common threads of precision, organization, and innovation.

1. Precision is Key:

Whether you’re pipetting microliters of a precious solution or fine-tuning the alignment of a Notion database, precision is non-negotiable. Lab technicians and Notion template builders both understand that the smallest error can have significant consequences. In the lab, a miscalculation can ruin results; in Notion, a misconfigured template can disrupt workflows. Attention to detail is the shared mantra, ensuring that every element aligns flawlessly.

My personal anecdote: being a lab technician for almost 3 years, there were no shortage of remake reports I had to write because I screwed up. I once dumped 200-kg worth of water down the drain because I accidentally dropped in 0.01kg more than expected.

Same with building Notion template, there are many times I get frustrated writing a formula, and it doesn’t work only to find out I forgot 1. Freaking. Parentheses. Again, small, little precisions matter.

2. Meticulous Organization:

Lab technicians excel in organizing samples, reagents, and data. Similarly, Notion template builders curate digital spaces with meticulous care. Creating databases, tables, and linked pages mirrors the act of labeling and categorizing in the lab. Both roles prioritize creating streamlined systems for easy access to information, whether it’s locating a specific sample or retrieving critical project details.

Guess what happens when you put a material in the wrong location? Say, it should be stored in the freezer but you forgot and put it in the normal fridge instead. You will have to get rid of it. Some materials are not cheap. Tiny bottles of roughly 1–5g can cost up to $10000.

Same thing with Notion template. Databases must be organize so it makes sense for the user. Can you imagine building an expense tracker but then there’s a task database in it? Granted, it rarely happens but you get the gist.

3. Problem-Solving Prowess:

Lab work is riddled with unexpected challenges, demanding quick thinking and innovative solutions. Notion template builders face similar scenarios when crafting templates for diverse needs. Flexibility is key, whether you’re troubleshooting an experiment gone awry or adapting a Notion template to accommodate new requirements. In both domains, problem-solving is a daily exercise. The only difference is my position as a lab technician was a fast paced one. Problem solving is something you need to do in minutes because we had a schedule we need to follow. And I had my fair share of troubleshooting in the lab, from fixing computer to situation where we needed to get things done.

4. Continuous Improvement:

Lab technicians are no strangers to optimizing protocols for efficiency and accuracy. Likewise, Notion template builders continuously refine their templates, seeking better layouts, integrations, and functionalities. The pursuit of perfection is a shared journey, marked by a commitment to constant improvement. And the best way to have continuous improvement is collaboration. In the lab, you don’t work alone but rather with a team. And you can learn from each other to make the job more efficient and easier. Same with Notion, you ask for help from others and improve your skills as a creator.

6. Innovation and Adaptation:

Innovation is at the heart of both roles. Lab technicians embrace cutting-edge technologies and methodologies to push the boundaries of science. Notion template builders harness the platform’s ever-expanding toolkit to design templates that adapt to evolving needs. Both fields require a forward-looking approach, embracing change and innovation. For a more tangible work like the lab, we use robots to assist us. Notion has AI and automation integration to give us the best experience when we use it.

Conclusion:

In the fascinating Venn diagram of careers, the lab technician and Notion template builder find themselves in an unexpected overlap. These roles, though disparate on the surface, share a foundation of precision, organization, and innovation. Whether I was donning a lab coat or crafting digital templates, the journey is marked by a commitment to excellence and a passion for advancing in these respective fields. So, whether I was pipetting or pixelating, I take pride in the remarkable similarities that unite these two worlds. This blog post is also a goodbye to my time as a lab technician. Now I’m going into not-so-familiar of training others on logistic system.

P/s: Visit my Gumroad page for free Notion template: mchau4108.gumroad.com

Hang out with me on Twitter / X: https://twitter.com/MinMin8020