How to Choose a New Planner for the New Year (Without Losing Your Mind)

A light-hearted, practical guide for picking a planner you’ll actually use—no pressure, no perfectionism.

Quick reminder: You don’t need the “perfect” planner. You need the one you’ll open on a random Tuesday.

It’s that time of year again. New calendar. New goals. New planner temptation.

Suddenly you’re asking big questions like:

Daily or weekly?
Paper or digital?
Why do I own three unused planners already?

Take a deep breath. Choosing a planner does not need to be dramatic.

First Things First: Be Honest

Before you buy anything shiny, think about last year.

Did you:

Mostly write to-do lists?
Forget to open your planner for weeks at a time?
Use it faithfully… until March?

No judgment. Your past planner habits are just clues—not character flaws.

Choose a Planner for Your Real Life

Not your “I wake up at 5 a.m. and drink green juice” life. Your real life.

If your days are full, messy, and unpredictable, you probably don’t need a planner with twelve tracking pages per week. If you love writing things out, you’ll want space—not tiny boxes that feel like a game of Tetris.

Simple test: If it already feels stressful when you flip through it… keep looking.

Paper or Digital?

This one’s simple.

If you love pens, stickers, and flipping pages—go paper.
If your planner needs to live on your tablet and go everywhere—digital might be your best friend.

Both work. Neither will magically fix procrastination.

Don’t Start with “All the Things”

You do not need:

Color-coded systems
Six trackers
A complicated morning routine

You need:

Dates
Space to write
A place to dump your thoughts

That’s it. Start there.

Give Yourself Permission to Adjust

Here’s a secret: You’re allowed to change your planner mid-year. Really.

Planning is a tool, not a contract. If something isn’t working, tweak it. Cross things out. Simplify. Try again next month.

The Bottom Line

The best planner is the one you’ll actually use—even on boring days.

Choose something that feels friendly, flexible, and forgiving. When your planner feels like it’s on your side, you’re much more likely to show up and use it.