9 Paper Planners & Journals That May Change Your Life

“Many ADDitude readers like Time Timers and old-fashioned Moleskin calendars. What products or apps do you use to manage your time?”

When we asked this question in a survey completed by 1,342 ADDitude readers, the answer came back loud and clear: We like paper planners. No, we love them. And no single app on the market can replace that gratifying feeling of writing down a task or appointment, assigning it a deadline, and then physically crossing it off. And clicking on an app could never trigger the cathartic release of scribbling down our emotions and thoughts in a paper journal.

“I try to journal every day,” an ADDitude reader says. “It really does help keep me sane.”

“Being creative and using writing as an outlet when I’m feeling overwhelmed or burnt out is really important to me,” says another.

Something inside the ADHD brain lights up when we put pen to paper — that much we can (mostly) agree on. But with so many planners and journals out there, which one should you choose — especially if you’re confronted with analysis paralysis? Here are our readers’ top picks — the planners and journals they have road tested and recommend to the rest of us.

NOTE: Please note that all names, models, prices, links, and specifications were accurate and items were in stock at the time of this article's last update on December 3, 2024.

$32
BUY NOW (#CommissionsEarned)

When you have a jam-packed schedule of places to be and things to do, it’s easy to put off self-care. With the Papier Daily Wellness Journal, setting aside time for yourself and cultivating rituals that bring joy just got easier. Habit-tracking sections devoted to sleep, activity, and energy levels promote health and wellness, while pages allocated for celebrating successes and gratitude provide space for self-reflection. Additional wellness content sprinkled throughout the journal will keep you motivated and inspired to work toward goals. Space for daily and monthly check-ins reinforces productivity.

“The Papier Wellness Journal reminds me of my focus of the week and forces me to be more mindful and purposeful every day,” an ADDitude reader says.

#CommissionsEarned
As an Amazon Associate, ADDitude earns a commission from qualifying purchases made by ADDitude readers on the affiliate links we share. However, all products linked in the ADDitude Store have been independently selected by our editors and/or recommended by our readers. Prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

$19.49
BUY NOW (#CommissionsEarned)

The Worry for Nothing: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Journal should not replace care from a medical professional, but it can reinforce lessons from CBT. The journal’s step-by-step approach through CBT techniques will help you accurately deconstruct emotions and anxious thoughts and rebuild them. Check-in pages reinforce and assess skills. You can use the journal for as little or as much as you want; undated pages relieve the pressure of writing daily.

“My best friend bought me this,” an ADDitude reader says. “The journal keeps me from ruminating and helps me better reflect on my emotions.”

#CommissionsEarned
As an Amazon Associate, ADDitude earns a commission from qualifying purchases made by ADDitude readers on the affiliate links we share. However, all products linked in the ADDitude Store have been independently selected by our editors and/or recommended by our readers. Prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

$21.87
BUY NOW (#CommissionsEarned)

Panda Planner claims to help you "rewire your brain happiness" by organizing every aspect of your life — building mini-routines, developing a habit of positivity, and cultivating a growth mindset. Is that all? Whew!

It follows a simple undated layout and comes only in three-month increments. Every day gets two full pages, but you get 6 or 12 monthly pages, depending on the model, to see you through to the rest of the year.

Panda Planner focuses on developing happiness and productivity, while other planners, like the Passion Planner, focus on organization and reflection. One reader told us, “Writing on paper is helpful, and I find the layout easy to use. Most importantly, though, the areas for reflection, positivity, and improvements needed for the following day are what sets it apart from other paper planners.”

Read more reviews and info.

$5.54 and Up
BUY NOW (#CommissionsEarned)

The Simple Elephant Planner calls itself "The best agenda day planner to help you achieve your goals, plus increase productivity and passion and happiness.” To that end, it includes a gratitude journal, mind map section, vision board, and bonus stickers." That’s a lot in one place.

To help you make the most of it all, the Simple Elephant site includes how-to videos, motivational videos, and more. Readers told us, “The dates are left blank so it can be any year, month, day. If I forget to use it for a week or two, I can start again without feeling like I wasted the whole thing. It lets me make notes for daily accomplishments, set goals and review what went well and what didn't.” If you’re the type of person who doesn’t want to commit to — or need — two full pages per day, this lower-key planner may be right for you.

Read more reviews and info.

$27.99
BUY NOW (#CommissionsEarned)

Bullet Journal (which calls itself “the analog version for the digital age”) requires nothing more than a pen and a notebook. That’s it. Multiple online tutorials explain how to create and maintain a bullet journal, but basically the idea is that you design a planner that works for YOU, not the other way around — perfect for people with ADHD whose brains diverge from the neurotypical. The best (and most succinct) tutorials can be found at BulletJournal.com and The Lazy Genius Collective.

“Helpful if you make a pact to use it every day… the maker of the Bullet Journal has ADHD,” said one reader, who recommended YouTube for help getting started. Because you can customize your bullet journal any way you want, one reader said he uses his to make a car maintenance tracker and “I don’t have car problems because I have no idea when I took it to the garage the last time.” People told us it has changed their lives, and “getting to color and tick off items on a list is a mini reward.” This was by far our community’s most popular planner.

"Bullet Journal has a special place in my heart because it’s a system and not a planner," says another reader.

Read more reviews and info.

$15.26
BUY NOW (#CommissionsEarned)

Structured planners or journals that prompt users to organize to-do lists and monitor habits and set intentions and manage events aren’t for everyone. Consider the Nouveau One Line a Day journal for a more minimal way to capture milestones or musings. No guidance is needed. Just date and write a single line in the provided space. You can use the journal to focus on reaching a specific milestone, remembering birthdays, listing must-see Netflix series, or more. Each page has room for five daily entries, so you can compare year-to-year.

“I collect daily quotes from my friends and family in my Nouveau journal,” an ADDitude reader says. “When I’m having a bad or really stressful day, reading through it gives me a good laugh and helps me pause and reset.”

#CommissionsEarned
As an Amazon Associate, ADDitude earns a commission from qualifying purchases made by ADDitude readers on the affiliate links we share. However, all products linked in the ADDitude Store have been independently selected by our editors and/or recommended by our readers. Prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

$22.99
BUY NOW (#CommissionsEarned)

The Rocketbook Wave Smart Notebook gives you the freedom of a pen and paper notebook — while also providing valuable backup by instantly sending everything you write into the Cloud using your smartphone.

Pilot FrixLon Pens let you erase and reuse using your microwave, and each notebook comes with one pen. With blank pages, you’d use this like a traditional bullet journal. “I love it because it can connect to a digital copy of my notes,” said one reader. So if you lose your beloved bullet journal a real possibility for many of us you still have a safety net.

Read more reviews and info.

www.mypaplanner.com
$45-$55

Personal assistants take on the tasks we dread (or forget) — for a price many can’t afford. A more cost-effective solution is My PA Planner. It won’t break your budget, but it will help you break down tasks so you can get stuff done. Created with the ADHD brain in mind, My PA Planner incorporates time-blocking techniques, guiding users to develop action plans and create schedules for everything they need to do (including breaks, appointments, and exercise) within specific chunks of time. A weekly review section assesses progress toward a goal, and the “inspiration fault” provides ample space for brain dumps so you can keep priorities in focus and table unrelated thoughts and tasks. You can also pair your My PA Planner with a free mobile app.

#CommissionsEarned
As an Amazon Associate, ADDitude earns a commission from qualifying purchases made by ADDitude readers on the affiliate links we share. However, all products linked in the ADDitude Store have been independently selected by our editors and/or recommended by our readers. Prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

$24 - $64
BUY NOW

Simplified Planners come in two different editions: Academic (August-July) and Calendar (January-December), with either a 12-month daily or weekly format. The Daily edition uses one day per page, while the weekly edition gives you a full week per two-page spread. “The Simplified Planner lets me be able to list out things do and be able to look back,” said one reader, who uses the daily edition with its hourly increments.

#CommissionsEarned
As an Amazon Associate, ADDitude earns a commission from qualifying purchases made by ADDitude readers on the affiliate links we share. However, all products linked in the ADDitude Store have been independently selected by our editors and/or recommended by our readers. Prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.