The Best Planners for Individuals with Persistent PCS/mTBI (as of March, 2026)

In a previous post, I wrote about what to look for in a planner when you have persistent Post-Concussion Syndrome or a mild Traumatic Brain Injury (PCS/mTBI). But when it comes to implementing that advice in the real world, it begs the following question:

What are the best planners out there if you are recovering from persistent Post-Concussion Syndrome/mild Traumatic Brain Injury (PCS/mTBI)?

With that question in mind, I have researched and field-tested a wide range of physical and digital planners.

What follows are my top choices for physical planners and digital planners, updated for 2026. If you would like to read my current thoughts on whether you should choose a physical pen and paper planner or a digital planner, check out the section below on the advantages and disadvantages of digital planners for individuals with persistent PCS/mTBI.

Physical planners (Pen and Paper Planners)

Top Tier Physical Planners (my top choices in bold):

1. (Tie) The Roterunner Purpose Planner (the original 6-month B5 version)

1. (Tie) The Panda Planner Weekly (the original 12-Month Weekly Planner)

1. (Tie) The Roterunner Purpose Planner (the 12-month B5 version)

4. The Roterunner Purpose Planner (the newer A5 version)

5. (Tie) The Planner Pad (Executive size)

5. (Tie) The Passion Planner Elite 2026

7. The Planner Pad (Personal size)

Second Tier of Physical Planners (good, but a few cuts below the top tier or not as optimized for individuals with persistent PCS/mTBI):

8. Undated A5 Tomoe River Paper Weekly Planner

9. (Tie) The Panda Planner Pro (best monthly-weekly-daily planner)

9. (Tie) The Gazelle Planner (best monthly-daily planner)


Digital Planners

Top Tier of Digital Planners (top choice in bold):

1. Roterunner 2026 Digital Planner

Second Tier of Digital Planners (good but a level below the top tier):

2. Passion Planner Weekly Elite 2026 Dated or Passion Planner Weekly Elite Undated

Third Tier of Digital Planners (some good qualities but overly complicated and/or missing key features for individuals with persistent PCS/mTBI):

3. Notion

4. Dash Planner

5. Planners Collective The Modern Planner

6. Sunsama

7. Upbase

8. Planners Collective The Custom Planner

Honorable Mention (1-2 levels below 3rd Tier for individuals with PCS/mTBI): For Little Lion Planner; Artful Agenda

Comparing Digital Planners to Physical (Pen and Paper) Planners

The Advantages of Digital Planners for individuals with persistent PCS/mTBI

  • There are lots of choices in their formats and layouts, and they are often more customizable than physical planners.

  • Many digital planners can synchronize with your Google Calendar or ICal, so you can create additional reminders on your phone to remember important appointments and deadlines. That creates an additional backstop for remembering the things you have to do.

  • A growing number of digital planners allow you to sync appointments with your Google Calendar/ICal while you enter them into your digital planner.

  • Many digital planners can also be synced across all of your devices, which means that you will have a portable version of your calendar and your to-do list on your phone and IPad/tablet.

  • With most of the digital planners on this list, you can find a a way to not have to write down your weekly tasks again every week. However, there can be a learning curve in learning how to do this in GoodNotes and other note-taking apps.

The Disadvantages of Digital Planners for individuals with persistent PCS/mTBI

  • If you have physical symptoms related to PCS/mTBI, reducing screen time is beneficial. Pen and paper planners allow you to do that; digital planners do not.

  • An iPad or other tablet is needed to create calendar and to-do list items that are user-friendly when using the very best digital planners for individuals with persistent PCS/mTBI.

  • There is somewhat of a learning curve when using GoodNotes as an app for the best digital planners. There also can be a mild learning curve when learning how to manually sync appointments with your Google Calendar/ICal when using the top digital planners. There is an even steeper learning curve if using digital planners with their own interface, such as Notion, Upbase and Sunsama.

  • Unless you use the digital versions of the Roterunner or the Passion Planner and maybe Notion, most digital planners do not show appointments and to-do list items on the same page without looking cluttered and stressful, making them less user-friendly.

  • When using digital planners that are not listed in the top 3 tiers above, some people will use one app for their appointments and other calendar items, while using a second app for their to-do’s. (The same effect is more or less reproduced by Sunsama and Upbase, as well as Notion, in some cases.) That creates a problem of navigating between two apps or webpages. At best, that increases your cognitive load and fatigue; at worst, it leads to appointments and tasks falling through the cracks.

  • Writing your tasks down each week in a physical pen and paper planner can help you better recall what you need to do. It also tends to encourage re-evaluation of your priorities on a week-to-week basis. When you simply copy and paste your unfinished tasks from the previous week in a digital planner, it can: a) make these tasks easier to ignore; and b) discourage us from making necessary adjustments to the way we prioritize our tasks for that particular week.

So, at this juncture, I would give a slight nod to physical planners over digital planners, with all other things being considered equal— specifically, the B5 versions of the Roterunner Purpose Planner and the classic Panda Planner Weekly.

However, if the disadvantages are not huge issues for you, the digital versions of the Roterunner and Passion Planner have really closed the gap in the last couple of years— and I think the digital version of the Roterunner 2026 Digital Planner is legitimately in the same league as the top pen and paper planners.

To see how the physical planners listed above meet my standards for a good planner for individuals with PCS/mTBI, check this out. To see how the digital planners listed above meet my standards for a good planner for individuals with PCS/mTBI, check this out.

And if you have additional planner recommendations— or you would like me to review a planner you like or are curious about— please post in the comments below.

Concussion recovery, Executive Function, mTBI recovery, mild TBI, Coping, Organization, PCS recovery, Planning, Post-Concussion Syndrome, Practical tips, TBI recovery, Tips & AdviceJon Jassybest planners, planners, mTBI, mild TBI, Post-Concussive Syndrome, Post-Conccusion Syndrome recovery, Post-Concussion Syndrome tips, Post-Conccussion Syndrome recovery, mTBI tips, mTBI recovery, Coping with mTBI, Coping with Post-Concussion Syndrome, Organization, Planning, TBI recovery, Concussion recoveryComment