13 MINUTE READ

We’ve Rounded up the Best Planners for You

Daily planners are a great way to help you plan, prioritise and take action. And the best daily planners can help you hit big goals much faster.

But the real question is – which is the best planner for you?

A daily planner should do more than just help you with goals. It should:

• Give you clarity and space to think;
• Help you maintain work-life balance;
• Keep you productive and sane; and
• Connect daily tasks to your weekly schedule and big-picture.

The thing is, different people need different planners. There’s no “one-size-fits-all” solution. But how do you pick the best planner for you? It’s not an easy choice, given the number of available options.

To help you decide, we’ve done an in-depth comparison of the 7 best planners on the market. You’ll find our top picks, real customer reviews and detailed feature lists and descriptions to help you work out which planner to keep by your side.

And if you’re still not sure which one to get? Go check out the TRACKTION Planner (+ free global shipping + a 100% money-back guarantee).

Why TRACKTION? We took the best parts of the best planners and put them in one awesome package. It’s the tool thousands reach for each day to help them manage their time, master their habits and hit goals in every part of their lives. Get yours now →

What Are the Best Planners in 2020?

There are dozens of good planners on the market. We picked 7 great ones.

Here they are (A-Z):

• Day Designer – The Day Designer helps busy women with multiple roles conquer their day-to-day planning. Chic cover design helps this planner stand out from the crowd.
• Erin Condren LifePlanner – The Erin Condren LifePlanner is a popular choice for those who love the visual side of planning.
• Full Focus Planner – The Full Focus Planner helps professionals hit their goals and deal with overwhelm and distraction at work. It’s designed by a father-daughter team.
• Panda Planner – The Panda Planner was created by Michael Leip after he recovered from major health issues. It helped him get back on track. Can it help you?
• Passion Planner – The Passion Planner was designed to set and achieve better goals. It helps deepen your thinking with inspiring questions and quotes.
• SELF Journal – The SELF Journal‘s comprehensive tools and guided exercises make it a great choice for planning and hitting big goals.
• TRACKTION Planner – We might be biased, but TAoL’s very own TRACKTION Planner is our favourite daily planner. Its main goal is to help you identify the one area of your life that’s holding you back – and transform it permanently.

Let’s dig into the details…

The 7 Best Planners Compared (A-Z)

You’ll find detailed descriptions and feature lists for each of our top picks below. We cover price, design and the tools and exercises you’ll find in each planner – as well as real customer opinions for an “insider” perspective.

Day Designer Review

The Day Designer is a simple planner with a chic, stripy cover. It claims to “help busy women tackle their days with intention and get more done – with ease and style.”

Although it features monthly spreads, the Day Designer focuses on daily planning. There’s not much big-picture thinking here. The main purpose is to help you get things done day-to-day.

According to customer reviews, the Day Designer is great for prioritizing when it feels like there’s too much on your plate.

What’s inside the Day Designer?

• Dated 365-day calendar with inspirational quotes.
• Monthly and daily planning pages.
• Goal-setting worksheets.
• Gratitude journal.
• Durable tabs to mark months.
• Dimensions: 9’’x9.75’’
• Weight: 2.5 lbs

Who is the Day Designer for?

The Day Designer is aimed at busy women who juggle different roles. Great for working moms, students, teachers and anyone who faces endless demands every day.

What do people think of the Day Designer?

“I decided on this planner over the Erin Condren for 2019. I want a daily layout, and space. I really like the layout and the size. It’s very big. The layout really meets everything I wanted in a planner. I like that it has room for notes, gratitude, to dos, 30 minute increments with the schedule, and even has room for a “tonight” which makes me happy for plans after the last time slot, and a top 3. (…) My downside is the paper is so thin. I get it would be the size of phone book if it was thicker with daily pages, but you can see writing right through the pages and I am also nervous pages will rip out.” – JC on Amazon

How much does the Day Designer cost?

• DayDesigner.com – $41.30
• Amazon – $29.99

Erin Condren LifePlanner Review

The Erin Condren LifePlanner is famous for its visuals and design. The beautiful spreads, quotes and colouring pages make it fun to use. This may help if you need extra motivation to do your planning.

The planner is also customizable. You can choose the layout of your weekly pages, the theme, and even personalize the cover.

The Erin Condren Planner is effective for day-to-day and monthly planning. However, it’s less great if you want to unlock deeper insights with your planner. For example, it doesn’t include things like habit trackers or guided reflection.

What’s inside the Erin Condren LifePlanner?

• Dated 365-day calendar with inspirational quotes.
• Colouring pages.
• Weekly and monthly overviews.
• Convenient tabs to mark pages.
• Folder in the back for keeping loose documents.
• Dimensions: 7”x9’’
• Weight: 2.3 lbs

Who is the ErinCondren LifePlanner for?

The Erin Condren LifePlanner is more of a calendar/scheduler than a guided planner. It’s useful if you know what you’re working towards and need a way to stay organised. It’s also great if you’re big on personalizing the design of your planner.

What do people think of the Erin Condren LifePlanner?

“These planners are expensive, but the quality is amazing. My last one took a beating and is still in great shape. I can’t say enough good things about this. I love that I can choose the layout. It’s just enough space. It’s not too cramped. There is a little folder for random papers. Plenty of stickers. Enough space for notes on the back. Prior to this planner I used my phone and had post-its all over the place to try to stay on top of things. Not sure how I survived without it :)” – PaperCup on Amazon

How much does the Erin Condren LifePlanner cost?

• ErinCondren.com – $55
• Amazon – $55

Full Focus Planner Review

The Full Focus Planner was created by productivity expert and bestselling author Michael Hyatt and his daughter, Megan Hyatt-Miller. Both worked in extremely busy corporate environments. Both set out to design a planner which helps people find their way through work-related chaos.

The goal of the Full Focus Planner is to help you set and achieve meaningful goals by focusing on the essential and eliminating the trivial. It comes with a built-in system for breaking big projects down into digestible milestones and actions.

As planners go, it’s fairly expensive. But, you can get it cheaper with a yearly subscription. It comes in three different editions: classic, executive and bold. You can also order customised planners for your team.

What’s inside the Full Focus Planner?

• Undated 90-days calendar.
• Space for setting annual goals.
• Monthly, weekly and daily planning pages.
• Space for wellness rituals.
• Dimensions: 6.25’’x9.25’’
• Weight: 1.45 lbs

Who is the Full Focus Planner for?

The Full Focus Planner is for busy, overwhelmed professionals. If you notoriously have too many demands on your time and attention – this planner may help.

What do people think of the Full Focus Planner?

“It’s very well designed. It has all the features I look for in planner-style notebooks: elastic to hold the cover down, sturdy cover that’s water-resistant, tight binding, neutral color, AND an envelope in the back cover. (…) This book won’t totally replace my system, because I still want a tangible place to record my budget and health markers. But it replaces everything else I’ve been using. And I’m very excited to see if the weekly goals review increases my accomplishments.” – Talia on Amazon

How much does the Full Focus Planner cost?

• FullFocusPlanner.com – $49.99 for 1 or $40 if you subscribe
• Amazon – $44.99

Panda Planner Review

The Panda Planner is Amazon’s top choice for “high-performance planners”. It’s also one of the best-selling planners on the market.

Michael Leip designed the Panda Planner to help him cope with mental and physical health issues. He claims it’s more than a planner – it’s a system. Inspired by positive psychology, it helps you be more productive while supporting your overall balance.

The company is so confident the Panda Planner works that they offer a “no questions asked” money-back guarantee.

What’s inside the Panda Planner?

• Undated 90-day calendar.
• Monthly, weekly and daily planning sections.
• Gratitude and affirmation pages.
• Access to additional ebooks and productivity courses.
• Dimensions: 5.25’’x8.25’’
• Weight: 0.92 lbs

Who is the Panda Planner for?

The Panda Planner may be helpful if you struggle with mental health. Its focus is on overall well-being – not just performance.

What do people think of the Panda Planner?

“There is a TED talk that talks about cultivating positivity through exercises like this. Taking time to write about what you are grateful / excited for changes your whole life. This is my word to anyone considering this book. If you are depressed (like I was), apathetic (like I was), and just not living to your potential BUY THIS BOOK!” – Amazon Customer

How much does the Panda Planner cost?

• PandaPlanner.com – $24.97
• Amazon – $24.97

Passion Planner Review

The Passion Planner began life as a Kickstarter project and was created by Angelia Trinidad. After graduating from college, she felt lost and empty so she created this planner to help her decide what to do next.

The main focus of the Passion Planner is to help you make your dreams a reality. It does that by helping you set meaningful goals, then break them down into easy and actionable steps.

This planner is printed on sustainably sourced paper and has a faux leather cover, making it a great pick for the environmentally-conscious.

What’s inside the Passion Planner?

• Dated 365-day calendar.
• Passion Roadmap to set goals for 3 months, 1 year, 3 years and lifetime.
• Space of Infinite Possibility for creative thinking.
• Annual & monthly overviews.
• Quotes & questions to inspire self-reflection.
• Dimensions: 6.9’’x9.8’’ (medium size)
• Weight: 1.37 lbs

Who is the Passion Planner for?

The Passion Planner is for people with many ideas who struggle to turn them into action. It’s also great if you’re concerned about social and environmental issues. For each planner you buy, the company gives one away for those who can’t afford it.

What do people think of the Passion Planner

“This is my second year using this planner and while I still suck at managing my self and time, this planner really keeps me thinking about the big picture and how I’m going to get there via manageable day to day steps. Side note, I’m deep into technology but there is something useful in having a tangible, touchable book in my hands with my goals and accomplishments written out, not typed and stored away in the ether.” – Amazon Customer

How much does the Passion Planner cost?

• PassionPlanner.com – $30
• Amazon – $30

SELF Journal Review

The SELF Journal’s selling points are its comprehensive approach to goal setting and celebrity endorsements. Life coach Penny Zenker said: “I use this now because it is a comprehensive goal-setting-and-tracking system with reflection all-in-one.” Investor Daymond John described it as a “must-have for any entrepreneur.”

The SELF Journal is a useful, but quite complex tool. It’s packed with exercises, trackers, planning space, reflections and more. As the name indicates, it’s not only a planner. It’s also a journal.

For every ordered copy, the company donates a meal for those in need.

What’s inside the SELF Journal?

• Undated 90-day calendar.
• 3 goal-setting templates.
• Weekly planning and reflection space.
• Habit and goal tracker.
• Gratitude journal.
• Dimensions: 5.75″x8.5″
• Weight: 1.3 lbs

Who is the SELF Journal for?

The SELF Journal is for driven individuals who like to challenge themselves. It’s more suitable for experienced planning enthusiasts. For beginners, it may be hard to find their way around all the templates and exercises.

What do people think of the SELF Journal?

“This is a really solid product and works well the way I use it. I don’t need it as an agenda, I do all that digitally, so I’m using it more as a way to keep myself accountable and track my time.That said, I can really imagine this being a great resource if you actually have a few big goals you want to push towards aggressively for 13 weeks. (…) My big complaint would be that it’s needlessly thick. Almost the first third of the book is just an introduction to the SELF Journal system, which could have easily been handled by a website.” – Zachary P. Wussow on Amazon

How much does the SELF Journal cost?

• BestSelf.co – $31.99 for 1 planner or $27.19 if you subscribe
• Amazon – $31.99

TRACKTION Planner Review

The TRACKTION Planner is TAoL’s very own self-assessment and productivity tool. Its primary goal is to help you identify the one area of your life that’s holding you back – and transform it permanently.

How does it do that? Simple. The TRACKTION planner zeroes in on holistic weekly goal setting AND daily planning. It helps you take control of your time day-to-day AND work on what matters in the big-picture.

Apart from the planning sections, the TRACKTION Planner includes space for self-reflection, as well as habit, value & metric trackers. It comes with an easy-to-use online guide, a private forum and a 100% money-back guarantee.

What’s inside the TRACKTION Planner?

• Undated 90-day daily pages.
• Wheel of life to identify where you’re stuck.
• Daily and weekly planning space.
• Guided reflections and gratitude journal.
• Trackers for habits, values & metrics.
• Internal folder & filing stickers.
• Video-guides, cheat sheets and a private members forum.
• Dimensions: 6.25″x9.25″
• Weight: 1.1 lbs

Who is the TRACKTION Planner for?

The TRACKTION Planner helps people who want to live a more productive, balanced AND meaningful life. It helps you see where you’re stuck and take action.

Whether you’re new to productivity or a planning geek, the TRACKTION Planner is the perfect tool to help you stay organized and reach breakthroughs – all while finding more balance and meaning.

What do people think of the TRACKTION Planner

“TRACKTION has been a game-changer, letting me plan and use my time and manage my business more effectively. Within 18 months, my revenue has increased over 13x and I never procrastinate anymore so I have more time to spend on personal goals.” – Erin Y

How much does the TRACKTION Planner cost?

• TheArtOfLiving – $24.97 (includes FREE global shipping)

NEXT STEPS: Make Life Easier. Buy the Best Daily Planner for You.

If you want to be more productive, you need a planner. End of story.

But which one to pick? We know the number of options can feel overwhelming.

Now, you have a solid guide to help you decide. Don’t overthink it. Go through our list once again and pick a planner that excites you.

Having (and using!) any planner is better than not using one at all. Even if it’s not perfect, at least you’ll have something to get started with.

And if you just can’t decide? Go check out TAoL‘s TRACKTION Planner.

It’s the first tool thousands reach for each day to manage their time, master their habits and hit goals in every part of their lives. Every order comes with free global shipping and a 100% money-back guarantee. Get yours now →

8 MINUTE READ

You know keeping a weekly planner is a good idea. It helps you stay organized and follow through on your goals.

But you have so much on your plate that setting time to plan your weekly schedule seems like yet another daunting task.

So, you decide to skip it. Again. Maybe you’ll do it next Sunday…

Not anymore. That’s the old you.

Because let’s look at the facts: effective people use weekly planners to stay on top of their game. Over 90% of those who scored “productive” in our Productivity Quiz set and follow a weekly plan.

The good news is that you can become that person, too.

The old you doesn’t plan their weeks in advance – and that sets them up for failure. Instead of focusing on execution, they waste time on reacting and prioritizing as they go.

The new you is different. They use a weekly planner to decide what really matters. The new you has a plan, uses their time wisely and makes the most of each day.

Need some help getting started? We’ve got you covered. Here’s a practical guide to using your new weekly planner template, step-by-step.

The Best One-Page Weekly Planner

Most websites that offer weekly planners make you choose from dozens of options. Here, we give you one.

Why? Because picking a perfect planner template can be a form of procrastination. We’d rather you have one option and actually use it.

Our template has everything you need from a weekly planner – and more. First of all, it’s:

• Free;
• Printable;
• Easy to use;
• Effective (i.e. makes you more productive).

On top of that, it has a few features that make it stand out among other planners.

• It’s a one-page weekly planner template – It keeps things short, simple and has everything you need for the week in one place.
• It’s part of a bigger system – When you’re ready for an upgrade, you’ll find everything from this template in our TRACKTION Planner. It includes a weekly planner PLUS a whole lot more tools (like a habit tracker, wheel of life and guided reflection) to help you get more done and find balance.
• It comes with a step-by-step guide – To make sure you get the most out of your weekly planner template, here’s a tutorial on how to use it.

The Weekly Planner Template Explained

To show you how this weekly planner works, let’s look at all the fields you’ll be filling in.

Keep in mind that this is the recommended approach to setting up your weekly schedule. We based it on years of experimentation and productivity coaching. But, feel free to adjust it to your needs.

Areas of Life

The first column on the left features eight different areas of your life. These are essential for a balanced weekly schedule. In this case, the balance means that you look at your weekly goals holistically.

Many people tend to only focus on some areas of life, but not others. This weekly planner includes them all to make sure you consider the big picture.

Weekly Goals

In the next column, you’ll define one weekly goal for each area of life. Keep in mind that these goals should follow the SMART(ER) framework. You also need to make sure they are doable in the 7-day time span.

Not all the goals will be equal. They will depend on which area of life you’re currently focusing on. We’ll talk more about setting goals in the next section, so stay tuned.

Weekly Priorities

Weekly priorities are the breakdown of your goals. To define them, you can answer this question: What exactly needs to happen to hit my weekly goals?

For example, if you want to throw a dinner party for your friends, the priorities to reach that goal can be:

• Blocking time to research recipes;
• Making a shopping list;
• Buying groceries; or
• Cleaning the flat.

You can also use this space to capture other errands and to-dos for the week, unrelated to your goals.

Appointments

The appointments column is for commitments that need to happen at a specific date and time. By putting them in your weekly planner, you’ll have an overview of your upcoming schedule.

Initially, you can fill it with appointments like work meetings or a visit to the doctor. Once you’re must-do’s are covered, use it to time block personal commitments.

For example, you may want to dedicate two hours to work on your website or go for a run. You’re more likely to get things done and spot clashes when you block time for them in your schedule.

Today’s Top Priorities

This part of your weekly planner is for the actionable steps you can take each day. It’s great for making sure items on your Weekly Priorities list actually happen. It also allows you to track how you spend your time each day.

Sometimes, you’ll be able to plan upcoming days in advance. But we recommend reviewing your daily priorities every evening. That way, you keep your schedule relevant and up-to-date.

How To Master Your Weekly Schedule With The Weekly Planner Template

Now that we’ve covered the ingredients in your weekly planner template, let’s learn how to bring them together. Follow this step-by-step process and you’ll be surprised with how much you can get done in a week!

Step 1: Time Block Your Appointments

Start with an overview of what you already have planned. Block time for any fixed meetings and commitments that you know need to happen.

Do this either on a Friday afternoon or Sunday evening – whichever suits you better. Then, update it every evening to complete the next day’s schedule.

Step 2: Set Weekly Goals In Each Area of Your Life

To keep your weekly schedule balanced, set one relevant goal for each area of life. If you’re not sure which areas to prioritize, use a wheel of life to figure it out.

Remember to make your goals SMART(ER) and make sure they’re achievable within seven days. Remember you can set both outcome and process goals. For more advice, check out this in-depth guide.on defining short-term goals.

Set your weekly goals on a Friday afternoon or Sunday evening. And when you have them down in your weekly planner, test them with these two simple questions:

• “Is achieving these goals in the next seven days realistic?”
• “If I only completed these goals and nothing else, would I consider my week a success?”

If you answered “Yes” to both questions, then you’re on the right track.

Just remember that setting weekly goals is a skill. It takes practice. Don’t worry if you over or undershoot your expectations in the beginning.

Step 3: Define Your Weekly Priorities

Now that you’ve set your goals, it’s time to get practical. What exactly needs to happen for you to reach them?

It usually takes a set of specific steps to complete a goal. This is what weekly priorities are for. Break your goals down into concrete actions and put them into your weekly planner template.

Apart from the main goals, you may also have other errands to run. The Weekly Priorities column is a good place for tasks like “buy travel insurance” or “pay the electricity bill.” That way, you make sure they don’t get forgotten.

Make time to define your weekly priorities on a Friday afternoon or Sunday evening.

Step 4: Define Each Day’s Priorities

This step is about deciding when you’re going to do what you said you would. Take your priorities for the week and allocate them to the specific days that you’ll work on them.

You can start this process during your weekly planning slot on a Friday afternoon or Sunday evening. But keep in mind that this plan is a draft. With daily priorities, it’s important to update tomorrow’s schedule each evening.

If it makes it easier, get a physical planner that you can carry with you everywhere. Here’s a review of some of the best planners in the market.

Step 5: Plan Your Ideal Day

As you move through the week, your initial weekly plan may need adjustments. That’s why you should only finalize each day’s schedule the night before.

Open your weekly planner every evening and block time in the Appointments column for the next day’s priorities and commitments.

That way, you’ll ensure that everything you planned for the week happens. You’ll also do it at the most convenient time, aligning your daily priorities with how your week unfolds.

Why Using a Weekly Planner Is a Must

By now, you understand that keeping a weekly planner isn’t a nice-to-have habit. It’s essential if you want to be productive.

Why? Because deciding your goals in advance lets you separate planning from doing. It gives you clarity about what you should focus on, instead of trying to figure it out on the way.

When designing your weekly schedule, remember that all plans are subject to change. Don’t add unnecessary stress if something doesn’t go your way. It’s bound to happen. The best thing you can do is to adjust the plan as necessary and move on.

Keeping a weekly planner puts you ahead of the pack. By setting aside even 10-15 minutes to schedule your week, you gain a new level of clarity.

On top of that, you become accountable to yourself. Seeing your goals written down makes them hard to ignore or forget. As a result, you become the productive and organized person you always wanted to be.

NEXT STEP: Download Your Free Printable Weekly Schedule Template Now!

Everything you just read will be useless if you don’t act on it. So go ahead and download our free printable weekly planner template below.

Don’t put this off until you forget – do it now!

And if you’re ready to take it one step further:

Get your first TRACKTION Planner to integrate your weekly planner into an end-to-end productivity system.