We’re pretty sure the best part about the New Year is picking out a fresh planner. Blank pages are full of possibility, and you can change it up with a fun cover or brand-new planner type. But how do you find the best planners for sticking with your resolutions? And making your year happy and productive? Here are five productivity planners we love, and we bet you’ll fall for one of them, too.
Who they’re good for: Teachers, moms and students.
Why we love them: The perfect mix of style and function. They’re packed with smart planning and organization features, and there are swoon-worthy designs (those cover illustrations!) for just about any taste. Every detail of these planners feels just right.
How to use them: Conquer your classroom in the new year with the Teacher Lesson Planner. It allows for both monthly and weekly planning with inspiring quotes sprinkled in for extra motivation. If you’re looking to boost productivity and improve time management, check out the LifePlanner with three different weekly layouts to match your needs. There’s also a Kids Planner that mixes organization with fun, so you can start teaching time management early. (Maybe pair it with a Time Timer PLUS® 5 Minute!)
Who they’re good for: Anyone who wants to feel more purpose-driven in life.
Why we love them: No more juggling several different notebooks. This all-in-one solution gives you one place to set goals, track appointments, write journal entries and even sketch. In fact, the company calls it “one place for all your thoughts.” And, did we mention? Stickers!!
How to use them: Consider the passion planner a place to really reflect on your life then use that insight to dream. Once you’ve done this big picture work, you can leverage the planner to break it all down into manageable steps and live out your goals in daily life. If it all sounds a little overwhelming, tackle it 10 or 20 minutes at a time with the Time Timer PLUS® 20 Minute to help keep you on track.
3. Plum Paper Personalized Planners
Photo from Plum Paper Personalized Planners
Who they’re good for: People already known for their planning and organization prowess.
Why we love them: You build your own custom planner from the ground up! Choose a size, design your cover, pick a color scheme and decide on a layout. You can even choose the starting and ending months in the planner. Not to mention optional add-on sections for meal planning, budgeting and home tasks. Plus, themed sticker packs to add in extra fun.
How to use them: These productivity planners flex and bend to how you already prefer to plan and organize. It’s definitely a command center for planning daily work and life. If you’re the CEO of your life, this is your executive assistant.
photo from Bullet Journals
Who it’s for: Anyone who struggles with focus, including people with learning disabilities.
Why we love them: These look like simple notebooks on the surface, but they’re built around a method for rapidly logging information as bulleted lists. (There’s a whole book outlining the methodology.) It’s all based on the founder’s own trial and error to figure out how to be focused and productive despite his own learning disabilities.
How to use them: You start by jotting down lists in simple categories—tasks, events, notes and more. Then use symbols next to those entries for highlighting everything from high priorities to inspiration. Many people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) consider the Bullet Journal to be one of the best ADHD planners around.
photo from Moleskine Planners
Who it’s for: Minimalists and creative types.
Why we love them: They’re an absolute classic. Those stiff covers, elastic closing bands and ribbons bookmarks all add up to a uniquely satisfying planner. And simple pages put the planner in the background, so your plans take center stage.
How to use them: Nothing fancy. It’s for logging ideas and appointments, keeping your to-do list and capturing inspiration on the fly. A Moleskine is a blank canvas, and you provide the imagination and paint.