How to Choose the Right Journal or Planner for You

Organizing your life can feel overwhelming. But having the right journal or planner can make a huge difference in how successful you are at managing your tasks, events and long-term goals. Taking the time to find the perfect one for you can be beneficial in the long run, as it can help to keep you organized and on track. Read on to find out more about how to choose the perfect journal or planner for you.

Consider Your Needs

The first step in choosing the right journal or planner for you is to consider your needs. What kind of tasks do you need to track? Do you need a place to write down your daily to-do list? Do you need to keep track of appointments, meetings and events? What about tracking your long-term goals? Or do you prefer to journal everything down like a mini-novel like “As told by Ginger’*? Once you have identified your needs, you can start looking for a journal or planner that meets them.

Style

The second step in choosing the right journal or planner for you is to consider your style. Do you prefer a physical journal or planner that you can carry around with you? Or do you prefer a digital journal or planner that you can access on your phone or computer? Do you prefer a minimalist approach or do you want something with more bells and whistles? Do you have a particular color or design in mind? Once you have identified your style, you can start looking for a journal or planner that meets your criteria.

When it comes to journals and planners, there are a variety of options available. Here are some of the most popular types of journals and planners:

• Notebooks: Notebooks are simple and versatile journals that can be used for a variety of purposes, such as jotting down ideas, taking notes, or writing to-do lists. These typically have more space for writing and creativity, such as our minimalist digital planner that you can see here.
• Bullet journals: Bullet journals are an increasingly popular type of journal that is used to track tasks, events and long-term goals. To get our free one, head here.
• Planners: Planners are journals that are designed to help you plan ahead and stay organized. Planners typically include sections for tracking daily, weekly and monthly tasks, as well as special sections for tracking long-term goals. These can be broken down again such as:
  • Planners with scheduled times - typically for people who have packed schedules
  • Planners with templates that prompt you for certain tasks, such as what are you grateful for today? These typically have more bells and whistles than all the other designs. For an example, you can check out one of our planners here.
• Sketchbooks: Sketchbooks are journals that are designed for artists, designers and other creative types. They are typically used for drawing, sketching and doodling. These are typically blank with a higher gsm and if they are used in their physical form, or on apps such as Procreate or Adobe Illustrator.
• Travel journals: Travel journals are journals that are designed for travelers. They typically include sections for tracking travel plans, recording memories, and collecting souvenirs.

Consider Your Budget

The third step in choosing the right journal or planner for you is to consider your budget. Journals and planners can range from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars, so it is important to decide how much you are willing to spend before you start your search. This will help to narrow down your options and make it easier to find the perfect journal or planner for you.

Accompanying Tools

If you use a physical planner, then your accompanying tools would be a either a pen or pencil; in which case, which one do you use? How inky are the pens? Do you have erasable pens? Do you colour code for various keys? Do you only use one colour? How about highlighters etc etc etc… A very deep rabbit hole that could make your head spin.

Now, for digital planners or a note-taking app that acts as a sort-of planner, you (for the most part) have to decide on an app that will allow you to use the planner or decide on the app that you will use as a planner. For help with this, check out Tiago Forte’s video on picking a note-taking app (also: an app that wasn’t mentioned in this is GoodNotes which is also really great).

Choosing the right journal or planner for you can seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be. By taking the time to consider your needs, style and budget, you can find the perfect journal or planner for you. And once you have found the perfect one, you will be well on your way to staying organized and achieving your goals.

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