Instead of an app or device that claims to boost your productivity, this year, you should invest in a good paper planner. After all, there is plenty of research showing that writing down your to-do list and your schedule for the day, rather than typing it on a laptop or iPhone, makes you feel more committed to the task at hand. And while we've written about some of our favorite planners in the past, like this Japanese option, we wanted to find the best planners available. So we got in touch with productivity experts, life coaches, and people who love stationery and know how to get things done, and asked them about their favorites. Here are the top life planners, daily planners, and planners to keep you on track in 2020.
BestSelf Co. Self Journal
Life coach Penny Zenker recommends the BestSelf Co. Self Journal because it helps break big targets down into digestible chunks of 90 days. “I use it now because it is a comprehensive system of goal setting and monitoring with reflection all in one. It helps me align my goals and my daily tasks, which makes me more productive. "Liz Sumner, a progress and life coach, also likes the Self Journal." The basic version has a lot of valuable material to start setting goals. "she says." I've been using it for several years, ever since I discovered it on Kickstarter. Combine the best parts of a journal and a planner. "
The Complete Focus Planner by Michael Hyatt
Personal branding expert Richard Janes has "spent a small fortune over the years looking for a planner who can really help him stay focused and focused on the task." He calls Michael Hyatt's Full Focus Planner “the best I have ever come across. The reason it works so well for me is that the design provides a clear focus on what's important, while allowing me to empty my head of all the other tasks that lie in wait. But it doesn't go overboard so I can easily get to the actual planning for my day, week, and month. "One note: This planner is organized into 90-day chunks, which means you'll need to buy four to carry it through 2020, but it also offers little more flexibility and you can start it at any time of the year.
Day Timer Start Organizer
Day-Timer 2020 daily planner refill
Christy Whitman, life coach and author of The Art of Having It All: A Women's Guide to Unlimited Abundance, has been using the day timer for over 20 years. “I love this brand because the layout of the pages allows me to have a place to write articles today, a calendar and also a page to write and take notes. So each day has two pages and gives me a complete view of my day, "she says. "If I have an appointment scheduled, I can write notes next to the appointment and remind myself of the call information, the person's name, or any other important information." Whitman also loves Day-Timer customer service, specifically reminders to get new pages for the new year. "They send me an email with the order number, refill numbers, and it's easy for busy people."
Russell + Hazel Peony Bookcloth Mini 3 Ring Binder
Russell + Hazel 2019/2020 Mini Mes Tabs
Darcy Miller, the author, illustrator, and craftsman of a meticulously organized office, prefers to use a folder style planner, specifically this one from Russell + Hazel, based in Minnesota. "I use it for my notes and day-to-day planning, and then I also have one for each of my children, where I record things about them over the years, from teacher conferences to medical appointments," he says. The 8×9-inch folder is small and light enough to fit in your purse, but when it's not there, "it looks good if it's on the table." He also likes loose pages, which can be removed and rearranged if necessary.
Brepols Back to Paper 2020 Daily Notebook
"My favorite planner is the Brepols newspaper," says Sandeep Salter, founder of the Picture Room home goods store in Brooklyn. This simple layout planner helped you move from a digital calendar user to a typed one. “Actually, I was an exclusive Google Cal user until recently, when I ruled out a very important study visit. It just didn't show up because it had been accidentally removed from the Cal! I was mortified. That's the good thing about a physical journal. My toddler cannot randomly delete important events at any time. So now I use Brepols for meetings and studio visits specifically. Dates in front, notes in the back.
Diary of Kokuyo Jibun Ceiling 2020
Wakako Takagi, co-founder of the Los Angeles-based Baum-kuchen stationery, likes the Jibun Ceiling of Kokuyo. “This is my analog right-hand tool that goes everywhere with me. I use the monthly pages as a master planner and my weekly pages to stay focused with detailed appointments, things to remember, as well as documentation of some of the key ingredients in life (like how many miles I run each day to train). for a marathon). "Also, he adds, this diary's cardholder insert does double duty as his wallet." So I just need to grab Jibun Roof and my keys and I'm ready to go! "
Milligram 2020 non-daily – daily
Two Strategist The staff (myself included) has a version of this Australian Milligram stationery planner. Writer Lauren Ro introduced her to me last year: “With a variety of abstract covers, color schemes, and programs, they were the planners of my dreams. I chose the "non-daily,quot; journal with dotted grid pages for each day of the year. "This year, she is testing the weekly,quot; Family Life "daily," which includes space for action lists, budgets, meal planning, and more. " But I'm going to pick up the un-dotted journal for the second year in a row to help me keep track of The strategistThe editorial calendar. Each page has plenty of room for to-do lists and day notes, and it's easy to get through the next few months. It also looks great sitting at a desk, and the clothes wear well over the course of a year.
Smythson 2020 Soho Agenda
If you feel like splurging, writer Leah Bhabha likes her journal Smythson Soho. "Bigger than a pocket calendar, offering little space to write, and smaller than a desk diary, which is like carrying a textbook, Soho is the ideal size," she says. She also likes the format. "The weekly agenda dedicates a considerable square to each day, and there is a weekly to-do list on the opposite page." Also, the paper itself is "half the thickness and weight of normal pages, but suffice it to say they make writing easier without ink leaking."
Smythson 2020 Wafer Pocket Agenda
For a less expensive option from Smythson, Tad Friend, staff writer for the New Yorker, recommends Wafer's agenda. He has been using this planner for over 20 years and says that "fly weight is a key feature." It is small enough to fit in your back pocket, but it is still full of information. "It reminds you of when the red grouse shooting season ends, and has the phone numbers of the 'top clubs' in the western world, such as Boodle's and White's in London, listed out front so you can periodically call to ask if they have a Hugh Jass waiting in the lobby. " But because it's so easy to put in your back pocket, Friend notes that "the only weak point in the calendar, as I discovered twice, is that it doesn't quite work in a washing machine." He uses a navy blue version, which appears to be exhausted. But there are still some cake options available.
2020 Lemome Planner
For those who use digital calendars to schedule appointments but still want a paper planner to help them make the best use of their time, Neha Gandhi, CEO and editor-in-chief of Girlboss, recommends her planner Lemome. Rather than jotting down appointments and logistics, describe the main goal of each day on your agenda. That helps her stay focused throughout the day and keep track of projects over time. "I like this particular planner because it doesn't waste real estate on large daily calendars, and instead only offers high-level monthly views and weekly notes. I can organize the meeting notes for the day they were taken (and then I can cross-reference the meeting date from which the notes came in my digital cal), so I'm not flipping through a notebook to find a nugget of information that is somehow always out of reach ", she says. He also likes the convenient size "that fits perfectly in any job bag,quot; and that the planner "matches the notebooks I use, so everything on my desk can match."
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