10 Best Planners for College Students & Young Professionals Starting Their Careers (2026 Edition)
Whether you're navigating your final year of college, starting your first job, or trying to figure out what comes next in your early career, staying organized isn't just about remembering deadlines; it's about designing a life and career that actually fits who you are.
That's why I've put together this guide to the 10 best planners for college students and young professionals who are ready to take charge of their career path, whether that means landing your dream job, building a portfolio career, or creating something entirely new.
The Clever Fox Planner Pro is a beautifully designed all-in-one planner that's perfect for students who want more than just a basic agenda. Now available in a bigger format and stunning rose gold edition, this planner gives you the space and structure to manage your academic life while also focusing on personal growth. You can use it as your daily, weekly, and monthly planner, gratitude journal, habit tracker, and goal-setting tool - all in one elegant package. According to its designers - a team of five passionate online entrepreneurs, this planner is the solution for anyone looking to boost their productivity and hit their goals while becoming the best version of themselves.
The Clever Fox Planners have many features I’m looking for in a planner. One of the most *clever* ones is its unmarked calendar that allows you to start with the planner any day of the year. But that’s not all. Each weekly overview comes with a habit tracking section, to-do list, main goal, and priorities overview. There’s even room to reflect on your week’s wins and lessons learned.
One of the most clever features is its undated calendar that allows you to start using the planner any day of the year, perfect for starting mid-semester or aligning with your specific academic schedule. Each weekly overview comes packed with student-friendly features: a habit tracker (ideal for building study routines or wellness practices), a to-do list, space for your main weekly goal, and a priorities section. There's even a dedicated room to reflect on your week's wins and lessons learned, encouraging the kind of metacognitive practice that actually improves academic performance.
The rose gold edition adds an elegant touch that makes planning feel less like a chore and more like a ritual you'll actually look forward to. The premium quality construction - with thick, high-quality paper and durable binding - ensures this planner will survive a full academic year of constant use. Whether you're tracking assignment deadlines, building better study habits, managing thesis research, or working toward personal development goals alongside your academic ones, the Clever Fox Planner Pro provides the structure and space to help you thrive as a student.
The Simplified Planner is one of my all-time favorite planners. It’s a planner that makes you happy just by looking at it. With its six beautiful and joyful designs, this planner is the perfect companion to organize your life, your work, and make things simpler in the process.
Emily Ley, mother-of-three and founder of The Simplified Planner, is a firm believer that simple is best. In this always-on-busy-world we live in, Simplified stands on the idea that there is more to life than overwhelm. Its mission is to inspire and empower women with the tools they need to simplify their lives so they create space for what really matters.
The Simplified Planner comes in a daily and weekly edition. They both cover 12 months. The daily planner has one day per page and shared weekend pages and features luxurious paper and a gold wire-o binding. The weekly edition has one week per two-page spread and features a book-bound, lay-flat binding. This makes the weekly edition slightly smaller in size and easier to write in (I use ring-bound planners but often find it’s hard to write close to the rings. But that might be just me and how I write :)). Both editions are finished with a beautiful hard cover with gold foil details and protective gold corners.
Besides the weekly or daily pages the planner comes with full month views and space for your schedule, to-dos, notes and meal planning. Colorful stickers and a pocket inside the front cover tops it all off. Not to mention the elegant box the planners come in or the monthly “planning tips” that you’ll get from Emily via email with each purchase. A simple yet complete planner for anyone looking to simplify their life.
Are you one of those creative, multi-passionate types (like moi) that enjoy lots of options, and – if possible – a little DIY in the process?
If so, you will LOVE the Erin Condren Life Planner. There are plenty of planner manufacturers out there that offer customizable options. None of them to the extend of this planner. The Life Planner is full of tools to help you plan out a successful year, and to help you set goals, figure out what you truly want and take charge of your life.
As I mentioned before, what makes the Erin Condren Life Planner (even more) awesome is how you can customize your planner to make it unique for you:
Interior color: you have the choice between neutral or colorful interior.
Cover: you’re free to pick a cover (in fact that’s how the whole customization process starts) or interchange your covers by purchasing different beautiful laminated ones and change them depending on your mood. You can also choose between having your name printed on your planner or two lines of text of your choosing. I mean, does it ever get better than this?
Layout: you can choose between vertical, horizontal or hourly weekly layouts.
Calendar: the Life Planner comes with three different calendar options. Two 12-month options. From June to July if you’re looking for an academic planner or from January to December if you’re looking for a standard one. The cool thing is that you have a third option, and in my opinion one of the most awesome features of any planner I’ve ever seen! You can order the January to December version including the remaining months from your time of purchase until January 1st. Isn’t this AMAZING? Often I decided against buying a planner because I couldn’t start using it right away (right?!). This option takes care of that issue completely!
Coil color: you have a choice between platinum, gold, rose gold (my favorite :)) and black.
The Life Planner comes with a goal-setting spread and weekly spreads for each week of the month. An entire week is spread across two pages (from Monday to Sunday) and each day features a lined section. At the back of the planner you’ll find a notes sections with lines, dots, coloring book pages. The 4 sheets of stickers are great to customize your planner even more, and make sure important events and to-dos stand out.
All of this makes the Erin Condren Life Planner the DIY planner by excellence, and super fun to put together. It’s also easy to use, extremely functional, and absolutely beautiful and unique at the same time!
The Conquer Kit by Natalie MacNeal is A Creative Business Planner for Women Entrepreneurs. A newcomer in my planner lists, but one that has definitely deserved its spot! On the back cover of the planner, Natalie MacNeil states that The Conquer Kit is a *canvas for your dreams and goals*. I have to say… it sort of is.
When I started using the planner I followed along the recommendation to “sketch, scribble, collage, and write all over its pages” (and had so much fun doing it!). And yes, by the end of it, I was left with a strong business plan AND the strategies to put them into action.
The thing about The Conquer Kit (uhm) is that it is NOT – in fact – a planner.
If you’re working on building a business (or if you have an idea or project in mind), The Conquer Kit is the workbook you need *before* you start using your planner.
Through eight clearly defined and actionable steps you’ll go from ideation to business creation. Natalie has thought of EVERYTHING (in a very her kind of way) to guide you to tap into your creative genius, build a strong foundation, create heart-centric product and marketing plans, put together your A-team, envision the bigger picture, map your next steps, and ultimately bring your dream business to life.
I use The Conquer Kit (or at least sections of it) on a somewhat ongoing basis. I go back to it for clarity, or work through the steps again when I have a new project or goal in mind. I find new golden nuggets every time!
Blue Sky has been a trusted name in planning for years, offering professional yet approachable planners that strike the perfect balance between functionality and style, making them especially popular with students navigating the complexities of academic life. What sets Blue Sky apart is its commitment to practical design: durable covers that survive being tossed in backpacks, high-quality paper that handles different pen types without bleeding through, and layouts that actually work for students juggling classes, assignments, extracurriculars, and social commitments.
The brand was founded with a simple mission: to create planning tools that help people organize their lives without overwhelming them. Blue Sky planners typically run for 15 months (July through September of the following year), which is absolutely perfect for students. This format aligns seamlessly with the academic calendar, allowing you to start planning your semester before it begins and carry through to the end of the following school year, no awkward gaps or wasted pages.
What makes Blue Sky particularly great for students is how its design anticipates your actual needs. The monthly spreads give you that crucial big-picture view of exam schedules, project deadlines, and study group sessions, while the weekly layouts provide enough daily space to break down assignments into manageable tasks. There's room for tracking multiple courses simultaneously without feeling cramped, and the note sections are perfect for capturing quick reminders or brainstorming ideas during lectures.
Anecdote planners have quickly become a favorite among students who appreciate thoughtful design that goes beyond basic scheduling. What makes Anecdote special is their understanding that planning isn't just about tracking assignments, it's about creating a system that supports your entire student experience, from academic goals to personal growth. Their planners feature clean, intuitive layouts with a focus on intentionality, helping you not just manage your time but actually reflect on how you're spending it.
The brand was created with the philosophy that your planner should tell your story, hence the name "Anecdote." Each planner is designed to capture not just what you need to do, but the moments and milestones that make your academic journey meaningful. This approach resonates particularly well with students who want more than a glorified to-do list; they want a planning companion that helps them stay connected to their bigger academic and personal goals throughout the semester.
What makes Anecdote particularly great for students is its balanced approach to structure and flexibility. The yearly format gives you a complete overview of your entire academic year, making it easy to map out semester schedules, plan for finals weeks, and coordinate breaks and holidays. The weekly spreads offer generous space for each day's classes and assignments, while still leaving room for tracking habits, jotting down reflections, or noting those "aha moments" from lectures that you'll want to remember later.
#7 Inkwell LiveWell 360 Planner
The Inkwell Press LiveWell Planner is an all-time favorite planner of mine. This year celebrates the 5th edition of the liveWELL Planner. And it features some amazing changes for its 2019 planner edition: the brand-new liveWELL 360™ system.
This disc planning system allows you to customize your planner to make it perfect for you. The fun starts with four covers to choose from, including two vegan options that I absolutely love! After that you can select your style: daily, weekly (flex or classic), monthly or goal-setting (my favorite option) and whether or not you want tabs. Add-ons can be purchased to customize your planner even more or as standalone planners. The options are:
Goal Setting Planner
Project Planner
Meal Planner
50 pages of dotted or gritted notes
What I love most about the Inkwell LiveWell Planner is its focus on goal setting and productivity. When you buy this planner you become part of something greater: a community of like-minded planner lovers who want to achieve their goals. Productivity courses, a podcast, blog and YouTube channel all accompany this planner to make sure you get and stay on track making this planner an all-in-one productivity solution.
#8 Day Designer
The Day Designer is a real work of art. Ever since I discovered this planner a few years ago I’ve been amazed at how attractive it is, and practical! It’s beautiful, intuitive, and has so much space for everything! There is a wide selection of contemporary cover designs to choose from. My favorites include the Jungle Out There (flamingo lovers unite!), Antigua, and Brushed Confetti. But the classic remains the Black Stripe. I mean, how can you say no to a black, white, and gold combo?!
Whitney English – designer and creator of the Day Designer – believes that a well-designed day is a well-lived life. I couldn’t agree more. As a minimalist and essentialist I believe that the more intentional we live our life, the happier we are.
The first pages of the Day Designer hold different worksheets, each designed to help you find out what really matters to you and what your personal skills, values, vision, passions, and strengths are. Yes, it’s absolutely essential to have clarity in order to achieve your goals!
In the daily planner edition, each day has its own separate page, except for Saturday and Sunday, which share one page. Each weekday, from Monday through Friday, has an hourly schedule from 5am to 9pm (great for early birds!), space to add your top 3 tasks of the day, an inspiring quote, dinner planning, a spot to record daily gratitude, notes and more. What I particularly like about the daily page is the space reserved for your daily to-do. Most planners don’t leave a lot of space to add to-dos (and let’s be honest, it’s important not to have to many of those on our daily list) but I love having room to scribble down things on the spot, or a list of things I have to remember.
This planner is an effective tool to help you organize your goals, ideas, tasks, days, thoughts and life!
The AT-A-GLANCE Monthly Planner is a trusted classic that's been helping students stay organized for decades, and for good reason. This is the planner for students who prefer a streamlined, no-nonsense approach to planning. Instead of overwhelming you with daily spreads and complex tracking systems, AT-A-GLANCE focuses on what students actually need most: a clear, comprehensive view of the entire month at once. This bird's-eye perspective is invaluable when you're trying to balance multiple course schedules, track assignment due dates across different classes, and plan around exams, group projects, and extracurricular commitments.
What makes AT-A-GLANCE particularly brilliant for students is its simplicity and reliability. The brand has spent years perfecting the monthly planner format, and it shows. Each month gets a full two-page spread with generous daily blocks, enough room to note class times, assignment deadlines, exam dates, and important events without feeling cramped. The clean, uncluttered layout makes it easy to scan your entire month in seconds, helping you avoid those dreaded scheduling conflicts and last-minute deadline surprises.
Whether you're a grad student coordinating research deadlines, an undergrad managing a full course load with work-study hours, or someone who simply prefers to see the big picture rather than getting lost in daily details, the AT-A-GLANCE Monthly Planner delivers exactly what it promises: an at-a-glance view that keeps you on track all year long. Sometimes the most effective planner is the one that simply works, semester after semester, without any fuss.
I wanted to finish this list with a planner with a totally different approach still. That’s why I decided on The Freedom Journal. The promise of this planner is to guide you in the accomplishment of your #1 goal in 100 days.
The Freedom Journal is a goal-setting, productivity and accountability tool all at once. John Lee Dumas, the creator of The Freedom Journal, has interviewed over 2000 successful entrepreneurs and has created a unique step-by-step process that will guide you in setting and accomplishing your #1 goal in 100 days. What I like about it is the Agile approach, a methodology I was trained in as a project manager and that works wonders to complete projects in the most efficient way possible. Imagine doing that with your goals? That’s the promise of this planner!
When you order a copy of this planner you get access to an exclusive planner community on Facebook. You also get the audio book, mobile app and fillable PDF version of the planner for free. Worth getting your hands dirty if you ask me!
💡 If you're using a planner to figure out your next career move, I can help. Explore coaching for creative generalists or join the TrueSpark community.
That’s it for this back to college or kill it at that first job list. I hope you enjoyed this post, and that it helped you to choose the planner that is perfect for you.
