The Best Planners (Paper and Digital) I’ve Tried

It’s a new year, and we’ve all got new goals that we want to achieve. And the easiest way to achieve those goals is by getting organized.  So today I’m sharing with you the best planners to try for 2021.

The Best Planners for 2021

I fell in love with planners as soon as I started my first 9-5 job because not only was I juggling a full-time career, but I also was running this blog, and I often had to work on weekends at my first job as well. And how did I manage to work six days a week plus run my own website? With careful planning. And only a few minor mental breakdowns.

I’ve tried many planners over the years, and I’m breaking down my favorite ones in today’s post. I’ll be sharing both my favorite physical and digital planners, so no matter what your preference is, you can find the perfect planner for you and your needs!

Paper Planner Favorite: The Simplified Planner by Emily Ley

I’ve been using The Simplified Planner by Emily Ley for the past three years now, and it’s a gamechanger. There’s a reason why it sells out season after season: it’s a great way to help you get organized in both your personal and professional life, no matter what type of career you have!

I use the Daily Edition Simplified Planner rather than the Monthly Edition Simplified Planner. I love that the Daily planner has an entire page dedicated for each day, and there’s an hourly layout, a to-do list on each daily page as well. Since I’m self-employed and always in the middle of one zillion projects, having a to-do list alongside my planner really helps me prioritize my tasks for the day, and I’m much more efficient as a result.

Plus, the Simplified Planner comes with fun stickers, worksheets, and organization tips throughout. I think my only con about this planer is that it’s rather large, but it fits in my work tote and travel backpack, and it is a gamechanger.

Paper Planner Favorite: The Appointed Planner

If you’re looking for a planner that’s a bit sleeker, I’d recommend the Appointed Planner. I love these planners because you can get them monogrammed as well, and they come in a variety of colors. It has a format that’s pretty similar to the Simplified Planner — the daily planners have hourly layouts, task lists, and room for notes.

If you’re using a planner for work and want something more task-focused, their 6-Month Task Planner is a solid bet. I love that you can set out your top priorities each week, list out weekly tasks, and it has plenty of space to jot down notes. It is also spiral bound and lays flat, which makes writing in it so much easier.

Digital Planner Favorite: The Ultimate Digital Planner

Admittedly, I’m not a huge digital planner type of gal (give me a pen and paper any day!), but if I had to pick one that I love, it’s the Ultimate Digital Planner. It’s less than $15 and works on iOS, Android, and Microsoft.

If you have a tablet like an iPad or a Surface, this would be great to use (I’d recommend using this digital planner with a stylus as well!) This planner includes 4 different planner variations so that you can figure out the best layout for your lifestyle. It also comes with over 650 stickers and sticky notes so that you can give your planner a bit of flair. This is a really great budget-friendly option for those looking to skip the paper planner!

Digital Planner Favorite: Digital Planner by MyDailyPlanners

If you’re someone who oversees projects from start to finish in your career, this planner is great for you!

This Digital Planner by MyDailyPlanners is less than $25 and is compatible with the iPad. I love that you can opt for either a Sunday or a Monday start date on your planner, and it includes a pretty comprehensive project planner, a dedicated section for meeting notes, lined graphs, and a habit tracker. It’s also hyperlinked for easy navigation. 

What do you think are the best planners? Let me know in the comments below!

Photos by Tom McGovern