I’m trying to stay more organized in my daily or professional life, but I’m feeling overwhelmed by the number of planning apps out there. Could someone help recommend the best tools or apps for creating effective plans? Please share your experiences!
Oh boy, planning apps. Welcome to the digital rabbit hole of productivity tools you don’t need but think you do. Honestly, it’s a bit of a farce—half these apps just make you spend more time organizing than actually working. BUT, if you must:
- Todoist - Looks simple, feels fancy. Great if you love clicking off lists like you’re curing your procrastination tendencies. Spoiler: You’re not.
- Notion - Jack-of-all-trades, master of distracting you. Endless customization. You’ll spend more time making your plans look pretty than doing them.
- Google Calendar - It’s Google. It’s a calendar. Nothing revolutionary, but hey, it works. You probably already use it anyway, and if you don’t… why not?
- Trello - The good ol’ Kanban style. Move those tasks around like you’re playing Tetris with your life. You’ll think you’re productive even if you’re not.
- Habitica - If turning your day into a low-budget RPG gets you pumped, go for it. Miss a task? It’ll kill your pixelated hero. Fear-based planning at its finest.
Final thoughts: Apps won’t magically un-overwhelm you, but hey, the placebo effect’s real. Just don’t collect 12 apps like Pokémon—pick ONE, stick to it, and stop pretending color-coded checkboxes will solve your existential dread.
If apps are overwhelming you, maybe ditching the app obsession isn’t such a bad idea. I agree with @shizuka to some extent—most planning apps look flashy and promise to organize your life, but they can end up being another procrastination tool. That said, here are some underrated options that might actually be worth a shot:
- Microsoft To Do - It’s simple, clean, and integrates well if you’re already locked into Microsoft’s ecosystem. Bonus: It won’t drown you in customization like Notion.
- Evernote - Practically ancient in app years, but it’s still solid if you’re someone who loves detailed note-taking alongside tasks. And yeah, you’ll probably ignore half your notes like everyone else.
- TimeBloc - For hyper-structured planning. Wanna time-block your entire day down to “grab a snack at 3:17 PM”? This one’s for you. But… can anyone actually live that way?
- Any.do - It’s like Todoist’s less famous cousin. Simple task management with a planner feel. If you’re easily distracted by shiny features, this might keep you sane.
Now, if apps feel like too much, I’ve got an ancient, magical secret for you: pen and paper. Seriously. When everything feels like a tech spiral, just grab a notepad, jot down what you need to do, and stick to it. It’s not glamorous, but neither is overthinking every productivity hack. Wouldn’t want you ending up in a six-hour Notion rabbit hole tweaking ‘Monday’s task aesthetic.’
Ultimately, these apps aren’t your savior. Pick one (one!) or even grab a plain old planner and start crossing things off. Progress over perfection—don’t let the tools distract you from the work itself.