The 5 best planning apps for personal growth in 2023
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So, you’ve decided that enough is enough, and this year you’re going to make lasting changes in your habits and routines. Maybe you’ve got a bunch of ideas in your head that you know are going to change your life and bring you joy. But how do you make a plan to succeed? And what tools can you use to help you achieve your potential?
We’re living in a digital age, and thankfully there are many apps and tools online that we can use to do that planning, reach those goals, and find that joy in the day-to-day. They can help you do many things from organising your tasks to providing you with useful insights and reminders.
This article looks at the best planning apps to aid you in your intentional living and personal growth journey. I’ll provide you with info on each one, highlighting their pros and cons, pricing, and how I use them.
1. Notion
If you’re in the same circles as me (nerdy, self-development ones), you’ll have heard of Notion. I’ve been using Notion to keep track of my resets, goals, and daily planning for years now, and I haven’t found anything quite like it anywhere else.
Notion is an all-in-one tool for productivity that features a wiki-style layout and has a ton of features, including databases that can link to multiple pages and task management tools.
It also has a really active community, and there are many templates that are provided by the team at Notion and also community-made that you can use to get started with your planning.
Pros:
Notion has a lot of functionality, and many ways to display information on the page
It looks beautiful and has a very clean look by default
Information syncs with the cloud for easy switching between phone and desktop
It’s free (for personal use)
Cons:
It can be a bit of a learning curve if you want to use databases in your templates
Everything is stored in the cloud, so you can’t use Notion offline and privacy may be a concern
If you want more than the provided templates and aren’t sure where to start, one of my favourite Notion templates is a paid one from creator MuchelleB called the Life Map Notion Pack, which incorporates Getting Things Done (GTD) and ideas from other systems to allow you to create the life you want.
We do our household and future planning in Notion, and Notion Pro is the perfect plan when you need to share information with multiple people.
Other info
Price: Free (for personal use)
Best for: Planning sheets and personal project management
URL: Notion
Resources: Notion’s Template Gallery
2. Todoist
Again, if you’ve ever watched a video or read an article in the self-development realm, you’ll probably have heard of Todoist.
Todoist is a very popular task manager app that lets you organise and set priorities for tasks on your to-do list. It can give you reminders, and allow you to add labels and filters to help you keep on top of your list and manage your time well.
As an added bonus, the app is able to integrate with other productivity tools like Google Calendar and Trello, which makes it a super convenient option for personal growth planning.
I like to use Todoist to manage my day-to-day actions and also serve as a quick capture for any tasks that pop into my head as I’m out and about!
Pros:
It’s free (unless you want all the bells and whistles)
It is well-supported and integrates well with other productivity applications
Its data is available offline, so you can see your tasks anywhere
Cons:
It lacks Kanban features that give you more visibility on the status of a task
Data from the app is stored in the cloud, so privacy may be a concern
Other info
Price: Free / Paid Pro plan
Best for: Task management
URL: Todoist
Resources: Getting Things Done (GTD) with Todoist
3. Evernote
Evernote has been around for a very long time, and it’s still going strong. It’s a powerful app used for note-taking that allows you to quickly capture your thoughts and ideas in a variety of different formats.
Got an idea for a new melody for that song you’re writing? No problem, record some audio. A picture is worth a thousand words, right? Why not chuck those in there too?
Evernote not only lets you capture information, but it also lets you tag and later search for that information, ensuring nothing gets lost in the digital ether.
You can use Evernote in many ways to track your projects, and goals, and stay organised. I use it to quickly capture and organise my ideas.
Pros:
Many types of input are available for information capture
The tagging and searching capabilities are next level
You can clip web articles for inclusion in your notes
Cons:
If you’re looking for features you remember using in the past, those were likely removed a few years ago
Some users report a bit of a buggy interface
Other info
Price: Free / Paid plans available
Best for: Quick capture and brainstorming
URL: Evernote
Resources: Evernote Experts Monthly Roundup: Getting Things Done With ...
4. Insight Timer
This app has been an absolute game-changer for me. Insight Timer is a meditation and mindfulness app that is packed with useful features that help you to reduce stress, improve your focus, and cultivate a positive mindset.
There are guided meditations for a variety of situations, sleep sounds, a timer that can be configured for the length you want and the sounds you want, and courses.
Insight Timer makes it easy to develop a regular meditation practice which is a big factor in my own well-being and has supported my personal growth for many years now.
Pros:
There’s so much content available for free
The timer and guided meditations are everything you need to cultivate a successful meditation habit
Cons:
Downloading audio for offline requires a paid subscription
Most of the courses require a paid subscription too
Other info
Price: Free / Paid plan available
Best for: Meditation and reflection
URL: InsightTimer
5. Morning! Gratitude journal
The science behind gratitude is clear; establishing a daily habit of gratitude significantly positively impacts your wellbeing. This app has been instrumental in me cultivating this habit.
Morning! is a simple daily gratitude journal that gives your prompts to set your mindset for the day, and provides a place for reflection at the end of the day.
You can set reminders to encourage you as well as look back on your previous entries too. I love to do this at least every morning and it really positively frames my day ahead.
Pros:
It’s lockable with finger print
You can set daily configurable reminders
Get inspired by daily quotes
The premium version is a one off payment
Cons:
Custom colour themes and mood tracking is available on paid version only
Available on Apple only
Other info
Price: Free / Paid premium option
Best for: Gratitude journaling
URL: App store
So that’s us! Now all that’s left to do is try out some of these tools and see if they integrate well into your daily life. Remember, the key is to find something that works for you and how you like to stay organised rather than trying to squeeze into a system that doesn’t suit you.
Good luck, friend! Remember to be kind to yourself, enjoy the journey and celebrate your progress.
Images from todoist.com, evernote.com, and calmsage.com ... used in this article.