If you find the pressure of ‘new year, new you’ completely overwhelming, you’re not alone. Resolving to get your budget, diet, career, and well, entire life in order as soon as January kicks off can be…a little unrealistic. But you can make some little life adjustments easier by putting pen to paper. Whether you’re making to-do lists, meal planning, creating an organized schedule, or tracking a budget, writing things down helps — big time. So we rounded up the best journals, notepads, trackers, and calendars to help you stay on track this year, minus the stress. On your marks, get set, go, go, go.
2023 journals
A motivational journal that’ll help with productivity…
What if you could marry a visually stunning set of prompts with tactical tips to help you work through a goal? Well…you can. This journal takes you through exercises and multiple stages of goal-building — gaining momentum, overcoming setbacks, following through, and seeking closure. Each one is designed to help you get past roadblocks and give you the space to help set yourself up for success. Goal-diggers, assemble. ($16.99, Barnes & Noble)
A five-minute journal for the busiest amongst us…
This one requires only a few minutes of your time and won’t be an energy suck either. The journal comes with prompts, perfect for anyone who feels intimidated by the idea of free-writing. It aims to help you improve how you feel on a daily basis and can make the sometimes daunting task of journaling and habit-forming easy. It's one of the best journals out there. Trust. ($25, Brooklinen)
A 52-week guided journal to help with self-love and self-discovery…
Nothing says self-care like setting time aside for reflection. This one’s based on Cleo Wade’s popular book “Heart Talk” and comes with prompts you can engage with however you please. Wade even encourages rule-breaking along the way. So if you prefer to use it 52 days in a row instead of weekly, or turn to it whenever you just feel like you need some centering, it’s allllll part of the journey. ($12.82, Amazon)
Meal planners and budget trackers
The ultimate financial planner to help you with your money…
And you don’t need a finance degree to get started. It’s beginner-proof (promise) and has savings trackers, spending summaries, debt trackers, and more to help you stay on budget. You can make big or small money goals, jot down your current and future bills and payments, and more. That big vacation or dream bag you need help saving for? It’s coming right up. ($26.99, Amazon)
And another financial planning option to help you with your bills…
Fiscal responsibility, here ya come. This planner helps track your monthly budget, savings, financial goals and more in a digestible way. Scoop it up for yourself, or gift it to your S.O. who might need a little help in the money department. Their wallet says ‘thanks’ in advance. ($35, Papier)
A 52-page weekly meal planner notepad with a tear-off grocery list…
Spoiler: Figuring out what to cook for dinner doesn’t have to be stressful. This combo pad lets you plan ahead and prep for each day of the week. So you can save time at the grocery store and prevent food waste. Plus, this one has strong magnets so it’ll actually stay put on your fridge (no sliding here). Win-win. ($9.99, Amazon)
A magnetic, acrylic wall meal planner…
This simple, minimalist design gives a new adult meaning to ‘dry erase.’ You can choose between gold, black, and stainless steel hardware. Mount it to any magnetic surface of your choosing (like your fridge). Happy planning. ($60+, GirlFridayAcrylics via Etsy)
An aesthetically pleasing food planner you won't be embarrassed to have out on the counter…
It comes with sections for your shopping list, measurement conversions, recipes, and more. It’s made with environmentally friendly tree-free paper too. Consider this an easy way to kick off a new food journey. ($28, Amazon)
Calendars and general planners
An undated planner for the one who loves to write everything down…
So you can start this one whenever you want — whether that’s today, tomorrow, or somewhere down the line in March. This one has weekly views and a to-do list spread that’ll keep you organized. It also comes with a pocket page so you can store notes and receipts, stickers, short journaling prompts and more. And each page is perforated so you can easily take the day’s page with you on the go. ($24.95, Ban.do)
A weekly tear-off scheduler…
Productivity, here you come. This one makes your to-do list less overwhelming by helping you focus on your priorities and block off time for all your responsibilities. On the left side just write all of your tasks — and fill them in on the right in their respective time blocks. It’s undated, so if you skip a week or two you won’t have to waste a page or toss it out. Just pick up right where you left off. ($12, Amazon)
A gratitude calendar to keep you grounded…
This no-pressure cal encourages you to jot down one thing a day. It has some inspirational quotes too to help inspire you and get the good vibes flowing. Once the year comes to an end, you’ll get to look back at all the positive thoughts and moments you noted. Let the good times roll. ($24.99, Amazon)
A habit-tracking calendar so you can achieve everything you want this year…
Maybe you wanna stop using your phone after 8 pm or maybe you wanna drink less caffeine. Whatever it is, this will help you stay aware of your daily, weekly, and monthly habits. It’s broken down into different categories like sleep, movement, finances, and organization. So you can stay on top of things and set yourself up for success. ($19.99, Amazon)
Items to help with mindfulness
A self-care-themed deck of cards to help you navigate your feelings…
Fifty guided mindfulness cards = 50 ways to spark growth, emotional awareness, and interesting conversations. The deck has five categories (each with 10 cards with prompts) — among them: fear, joy, sadness, anger, and a wild card section with additional emotions. Whether you use them during a wine night with the girls or on your own as a morning of mindfulness exercise, the opportunities for growth are endless. Plus, they’re so colorful and eye-catching that you’ll wanna keep them out on display. ($19.95, Amazon)
A therapist-created anti-anxiety notebook…
Designed to help lower stress and combat anxiety, this one draws on CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) techniques. It comes with 100 tips and notes from experts that assist with reframing challenges and change when you need it. The guided entries are great for those who benefit from structure too. Prompts include things like rating the intensity of your emotions, circling patterns you recognize, and answering questions that’ll help you get what’s going on in your mind onto the page. ($38, Anthropologie)
A five-year memory book where you only write one line a day…
So you can record a specific hilarious moment, a wish for the future, or just a random meal you enjoyed. It’s a great way to reflect on your feelings and thoughts without the pressure of writing an entire journal entry. At the end of the five years, you’ll be able to look back and see your progression. Oh, how time flies. ($15.26, Amazon)
A lined, spiral journal that’ll help you protect your energy…
Freehand for the win. This one has a hard cover, 240 standard ruled pages, and gold spiral binding. All you gotta do is write your heart out. Whether it’s lists, quotes, reminders for yourself, or diary-style entries, the choice is yours. Go for it. ($16, Be Rooted)
Notepads
A lightweight notepad to help with your crazy schedule…
Come one, come all — this one’s great for everyone in your life (kiddos included). Yes, calendars on your phone work, but sometimes you just want to be able to visualize your daily tasks and schedule with good ol’-fashioned pen and paper. Because there’s nothing like literally crossing off a task once it’s completed. Each page = a new day broken down by the hour. Get her done. ($19.99, Amazon)
A ‘mini accomplishments’ notepad…
Because anything you get done deserves to be celebrated. This cute lil’ guy is your perfect tech-free way to keep a to-do list. At around 4x6 inches, it’s small enough to keep in your car, in your purse or on your nightstand for those random midnight thoughts you want to jot down. ($8, Greer Chicago)
A notepad you can use as a mouse pad…
We love to keep this one near our WFH setup. The undated weekly sheets tear right off (you’ve got 52 of ’em) to make getting your sh*t done so much easier. Because everything is so much easier when you can see your week at a glance. Organized life, here you come. ($10.99+, Ban.do)
And some miscellaneous items you’re going to want to get, too
Mini monthly stickers…
These handmade ones are printed on matte recycled paper. We love using these lil’ guys to level up our calendar situation: Use them to mark deadlines, indicate a birthday, or even mark a payment date. ($3, Eboniismoon via Etsy)
A vision board book so you can get into the manifestation game…
This book is filled with non-cheesy images that you can cut out to build your ultimate inspiration board with. It has more than 700 words and images to choose from, across alllll types of categories. If you’re dealing with a career or life rut — this one’s a perfect addition to your 2023. ($24.99, Amazon)
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