Strategist writer (and self-proclaimed stationery nerd) Lauren Ro has used the Hobonichi Techo Cousin, which she describes as “the larger, more souped-up version” of my beloved Techo for over a year. Layout: Daily | Size: 8.3 by 5.8 inches | Cover: Softcover “Oh, and if you’re wondering why all of the Smythson agendas on this list are ‘with pocket,’ it’s because the brand makes versions of its planners with or without a handy pocket on the back cover those without the pockets are usually cheaper, but I find the few extra bucks are worth it for a place to stash business cards, checkbooks (I keep mine in the pocket), and other small printed matter you might pick up over the course of a year,” he notes.

The layout divides its dated calendar pages between full weeks (on the left) and a blank lined page for notes opposite each week of the year (on the right), which “is exceptionally helpful for setting weekly to-do lists I can start a week by listing my tasks (like schedule that annual physical) in the notes pages, and then, when I get around to each task, cross it off that list and easily add it to the calendar,” Rotunno says. “It is roughly the size of an iPhone 11, so it’s taller than it is wide,” he explains. Layout: Weekly | Size: 4 by 7 inches | Cover: Leather coverįor a less expensive option from Smythson, former Strategist senior editor Anthony Rotunno recommends the Memoranda Agenda he’s been using for five years in a row. I also love that the light gridding on each page grants every day some order but still gives me the space to dash off notes, lists, and doodles. The Hobonichi Techo has never torn on me and looks as good on December 31 as it did when I bought it the previous January. I’m not precious with my planners and tend to subject them to a lot of wear and tear. I find that it’s the perfect size to chuck into any bag and deceptively durable. As New York Magazine deputy editor Alexis Swerdloff wrote in her initial ode to the cult Japanese planner, “The leather-bound book is hefty and feels like I’m actually holding something substantial (unlike a Moleskine) while still being incredibly compact: It’s little bit taller than an iPhone 6 and about the width of a Kit Kat.” Strategist associate editor Louis Cheslaw praises the planner’s “hard-wearing cover, thin (but quality) pages for a slim profile, lie-flat opening, and compact size.” He has already placed his 2022 order and looks “forward to critiquing colleagues’ alternative planners” in the New Year. It definitely falls into the “if you know, you know” category of stationery. This long-term testing and devotion has earned it the top spot here.

The Hobonichi Techo is a longtime Strategist favorite, used by three of our staffers (all three of whom have used the planner for years to stay organized). Layout: Daily | Size: 4 by 6 inches | Cover: Softcover Any of the 33 planners recommended below will surely go a long way toward keeping you on track this year. I’ve also included my own thoughts on our best overall planner, which I’ve been testing personally for the past five years. So to find the best planners, I talked to 32 productivity experts, life coaches, and people who love stationery (including a few Strategist staffers) about their favorites, then culled our archives for standout styles we’ve written about before. (I have, after all, updated this list faithfully every January and was tasked with selecting the best 100 notebooks for our massive notebook-testing story.) While I’ve been devoted to Hobonichi Techo for most of my adult life, I’ve covered the Strategist’s stationery beat long enough to know that finding the right planner out of the very vast and very particular world of paper goods can be overwhelming. Leafing through the well-loved Hobonichi Techo planners I’ve used over the years brings me almost as much pleasure as scribbling in them did. And once the calendar year is complete, a physical planner becomes an artifact - a time capsule, if you will - of its happenings. There is plenty of research that shows how actually writing down your to-do list and schedule for the day - rather than typing it out on a laptop or iPhone - makes you feel more engaged in the task at hand. Instead of an app or gadget that claims to jump-start your productivity, consider investing in a good paper planner.

Daily schedule planner page