Having a good organizational system is a key ingredient in recovery from persistent Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS)/mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI). You can find a potential model for that here.

If you want to create a successful organizational system for yourself, you’ll need a planner that will enable you to compensate for the executive function deficits caused by PCS/mTBI. Bearing that in mind, I shared a list I revised in early 2025 of my recommended planners for individuals with PCS/mTBI— which I chose on the basis of these standards.

Addressing Digital Planners, below is a list of how well each planner satisfies those standards. (Note: I use boldface when my standards are met and normal typeface when they are not.)

Top Tier:

1. The Roterunner 2025 Digital Planner

✅ Monthly and weekly time views— with an easy way to go back and forth between these.

✅ Space for appointments and to-do list items to appear on the same 2-page spread (or single-page spread) for the week.

✅ A time grid in your weekly view.

✅ A to-do list that: a) has enough space to write tasks down on each line; and b) is broken out into 2-4 categories with at least 10 spaces for items in at least 3 of the categories (or 15 spaces for 2 categories).

✅ Next to the to-do list, on the left: spaces to write in numbers, words or other notations for prioritizing to-do list items.

✅ 5-10 spaces to write down priority to-do’s and tasks for each day.

✅ A place to jot down notes, without having to write them down in your schedule or on your to-do list.

✅ A place for reflection.

✅ A place to do longer-term planning.

Second Tier:

2. The Passion Planner Elite 2025

✅ Monthly and weekly time views— with an easy way to go back and forth between these.

✅ Space for appointments and to-do list items to appear on the same 2-page spread (or single-page spread) for the week.

✅ A time grid in your weekly view

✅ A to-do list that: a) has enough space to write tasks down on each line; and b) is broken out into 2-4 categories with at least 10 spaces for items in at least 3 of the categories (or 15 spaces for 2 categories)

✅ Next to the to-do list, on the left: spaces to write in numbers, words or other notations for prioritizing to-do list items.

❌ 5-10 spaces to write down priority to-do’s and tasks for each day.

✅ A place to jot down notes, without having to write them down in your schedule or on your to-do list.

✅ A place for reflection.

✅ A place to do longer-term planning.

Third Tier:

3. Planners Collective The Modern Planner

✅ Monthly and weekly time views— with an easy way to go back and forth between these.

✅ Space for appointments and to-do list items to appear on the same 2-page spread (or single-page spread) for the week.

✅ A time grid in your weekly view (since there is no weekly view. However, there is a time grid in your daily view.)

✅ ❌ A to-do list that: a) has enough space to write tasks down on each line (somewhat— it might look cluttered to do so); and b) is broken out into 2-4 categories with at least 10 spaces for items in at least 3 of the categories (or 15 spaces for 2 categories).

✅ Next to the to-do list, on the left: spaces to write in numbers, words or other notations for prioritizing to-do list items.

❌ 5-10 spaces to write down priority to-do’s and tasks for each day.

❌ A place to jot down notes, without having to write them down in your schedule or on your to-do list.

✅ A place for reflection.

✅ A place to do longer-term planning.

4. For Little Lion Planner

✅ Monthly and weekly time views— with an easy way to go back and forth between these. (There are only monthly and daily time views.)

✅ Space for appointments and to-do list items to appear on the same 2-page spread (or single-page spread) for the week. 

✅ A time grid in your weekly view.

❌✅ A to-do list that: a) has enough space to write tasks down on each line (though it might look cluttered to do so); and b) is broken out into 2-4 categories with at least 10 spaces for items in at least 3 of the categories (or 15 spaces for 2 categories).

❌ Next to the to-do list, on the left: spaces to write in numbers, words or other notations for prioritizing to-do list items.

❌ 5-10 spaces to write down priority to-do’s and tasks for each day.

❌ A place to jot down notes, without having to write them down in your schedule or on your to-do list.

✅ A place for reflection.

✅ A place to do longer-term planning.

5. Planners Collective The Custom Planner

✅ Monthly and weekly time views— with an easy way to go back and forth between these.

✅ Space for appointments and to-do list items to appear on the same 2-page spread (or single-page spread) for the week.

✅ A time grid in your weekly view.

❌ A to-do list that: a) has enough space to write tasks down on each line; and b) is broken out into 2-4 categories with at least 10 spaces for items in at least 3 of the categories (or 15 spaces for 2 categories).

✅❌ Next to the to-do list, on the left: spaces to write in numbers, words or other notations for prioritizing to-do list items. (True for one 11-item category, not so much for the other.)

❌ 5-10 spaces to write down priority to-do’s and tasks for each day.

✅ A place to jot down notes, without having to write them down in your schedule or on your to-do list.

✅ A place for reflection.

✅ A place to do longer-term planning.

Honorable Mention:

Upbase

✅ Monthly and weekly time views— with an easy way to go back and forth between these.

❌ Space for appointments and to-do list items to appear on the same 2-page spread (or single-page spread) for the week.

✅ A time grid in your weekly view.

✅ A to-do list that: a) has enough space to write tasks down on each line and b) is broken out into 2-4 categories with at least 10 spaces for items in at least 3 of the categories (or 15 spaces for 2 categories).

❌ Next to the to-do list, on the left: spaces to write in numbers, words or other notations for prioritizing to-do list items.

❌ 5-10 spaces to write down priority to-do’s and tasks for each day.

✅ A place to jot down notes, without having to write them down in your schedule or on your to-do list.

✅ A place for reflection.

✅ A place to do longer-term planning.

Notion

✅ Monthly and weekly time views— with an easy way to go back and forth between these.

❌ Space for appointments and to-do list items to appear on the same 2-page spread (or single-page spread) for the week.

✅ A time grid in your weekly view.

✅ A to-do list that: a) has enough space to write tasks down on each line and b) is broken out into 2-4 categories with at least 10 spaces for items in at least 3 of the categories (or 15 spaces for 2 categories).

❌ Next to the to-do list, on the left: spaces to write in numbers, words or other notations for prioritizing to-do list items.

❌ 5-10 spaces to write down priority to-do’s and tasks for each day.

✅ A place to jot down notes, without having to write them down in your schedule or on your to-do list.

✅ A place for reflection.

✅ A place to do longer-term planning.

Sunsama

✅ Monthly and weekly time views— with an easy way to go back and forth between these.

❌ Space for appointments and to-do list items to appear on the same 2-page spread (or single-page spread) for the week.

✅ A time grid in your weekly view.

✅ A to-do list that: a) has enough space to write tasks down on each line and b) is broken out into 2-4 categories with at least 10 spaces for items in at least 3 of the categories (or 15 spaces for 2 categories).

❌ Next to the to-do list, on the left: spaces to write in numbers, words or other notations for prioritizing to-do list items.

❌ 5-10 spaces to write down priority to-do’s and tasks for each day.

✅ A place to jot down notes, without having to write them down in your schedule or on your to-do list.

✅ A place for reflection.

✅ A place to do longer-term planning.

Artful Agenda (has significant display issues, but syncs well with Google calendar and with Ical)

✅ Monthly and weekly time views— with an easy way to go back and forth between these.

❌ Space for appointments and to-do list items to appear on the same 2-page spread (or single-page spread) for the week.

✅ A time grid in your weekly view.

✅ A to-do list that: a) has enough space to write tasks down on each line and b) is broken out into 2-4 categories with at least 10 spaces for items in at least 3 of the categories (or 15 spaces for 2 categories).

❌ Next to the to-do list, on the left: spaces to write in numbers, words or other notations for prioritizing to-do list items.

❌ 5-10 spaces to write down priority to-do’s and tasks for each day.

✅ A place to jot down notes, without having to write them down in your schedule or on your to-do list.

✅ A place for reflection.

✅ A place to do longer-term planning.

Dash Planner

✅ Monthly and weekly time views— with an easy way to go back and forth between these.

❌ Space for appointments and to-do list items to appear on the same 2-page spread (or single-page spread) for the week.

✅ A time grid in your weekly view.

✅ A to-do list that: a) has enough space to write tasks down on each line and b) is broken out into 2-4 categories with at least 10 spaces for items in at least 3 of the categories (or 15 spaces for 2 categories).

❌ Next to the to-do list, on the left: spaces to write in numbers, words or other notations for prioritizing to-do list items.

❌ 5-10 spaces to write down priority to-do’s and tasks for each day.

✅ A place to jot down notes, without having to write them down in your schedule or on your to-do list.

✅ A place for reflection.

✅ A place to do longer-term planning.

This is part 2 of a 2-part series. Part 1 drills down on top-rated pen and paper planners.