The Best Digital Planners for 2022 to Help You Stay More Organized This Year

Whether you have an undying love of to-do lists or prefer more of an on-and-off relationship with keeping track of your tasks, having a place to go where you feel organized can be a huge relief in times of stress. And if you just so happen to be one of those people who prefer to keep everything on your phone rather than toting around a physical notebook, your search for control amidst the chaos is over. The year's best digital planners for 2022 are here to keep you on track.

When you're looking for a digital planner that can keep up with your busy schedule, there are a few things to keep in mind, according to organization expert Julie Bestry. "The kind of planner you use is less important than your commitment to it," she says. "Your commitment to a planner is a bit like your commitment to a significant other. If they lack too many of the features you need, or have too many attributes that annoy you, your attention will flag and you'll start flirting with other planners." (

That said, there are a few key questions you can ask yourself to double-check that the digital planner you're getting really makes sense for you, according to Bestry:

1. What visuals tend to inspire me? Do I want color? Inspirational quotes? Stickers? Or none of the above?
2. How detailed do I want to be about my time? Do I want to track it by the minute? Hour? Day? Week?
3. Do I need to access my planner on different devices, such as a laptop, phone, and/or iPad?
4. Will the planner be able to accommodate my visual accessibility needs—like enlarging text?
5. What other kinds of features matter to me? Do I want blank space to doodle during meetings? The ability to use my Apple pencil? Color-coding and highlighting? The ability to collaborate with my coworkers?

Once you've hand-selected the ideal planning tool, you just have to commit to the habit of filling it out every day. Easier said than done, right? (

To help you do that, Bestry recommends carrying your planner with you wherever you go — the biggest advantage to opting for a digital planner over a hardcover book — setting alarms to remind yourself to check it frequently, and capping off every Zoom meeting with a quick update of your digital planner. "Commit to never making an appointment, agreeing to a date, or scheduling plans without checking your digital planner," says Bestry. "If someone asks you to do something and you don't have your device handy, ask them to text or call you later so that you can verify your availability."

The Best Digital Planners for 2022