A woman with a plan is a woman you don't f*ck with. She probably has a mean "professional" pop-off reserved for emails to drive points across to clueless co-workers. She's bossy in the best way possible with the spirit of a hustler.
Now, if she also happens to wield a planner, she's next to untouchable, undefeatable — she's on a mission and you aren't stopping a damn thing. There's absolutely no time for nonsense, so if that's what you've come for, "Go home, Roger."
Those of us who've ever had a good idea know that a plan doesn't necessarily equate to a well-thought-out plan. It damn sure doesn't mean organized. From entrepreneurial endeavors and 9-to-5 to hobbies and date nights — a busy girl knows that a well-organized planner is the center of her Universe, at least if she's wise.
Not just any planner will do, though! Planner addicts reading this will take one glance at their planner graveyard and know exactly what I mean when I say, "Every planner is not your planner." You must take into account how you write, your organizational style, flexibility (pre-dated vs. dated as you go), and overall style. Personally, I'm more excited to use my planner if it looks cute. It's the same reason we go out and buy cute workout clothes, you have to feel good using them.
If you've yet to find one that truly speaks to you, don't panic! Here are 6planners that will help you level up your boss all year.
CGD London.
Career Girl Daily recognizes that for some of us, using one planner for everything is a deal breaker. They have created four planners to meet the girl on the go right where she is. From fitness goals to daily goals, they've got you covered. The "Getting Stuff Done" planner provides a space to plan for your everyday sh*t, is totally undated, and tracks your meals plus water intake to ensure that your priorities include major acts of self-care. Additionally, there's space for a shopping list, which is something too many of us forget to do when we're on the move.
This planner doesn't have a set template for your planning, so if you're a person who is most productive when you go the old school route and create a to-do list on loose leaf paper — this is that but with a sophisticated, fun flare that meets all of your needs.
CNCPTS Notebook.
cncptsmade.com
I was drawn to the CNCPTS planner because of its sophisticated style, but it's so much more than that. The breakdown of this planner is everything as they offer a section that allows you to jot down all of your entrepreneurial ideas and, if you have a creative mind, you know they come a dime a dozen. It also compartmentalizes your life by giving you a space for your business cards, a month-to-month calendar, and week-by-week sections that further breaks down based on your morning and day, personal to-dos, chores, priorities (ranked from high to low), and notes section. But, my favorite space in this planner is the CNCPTS space that allows you to make note of any genius idea that comes to your mind and rate it based on four factors: feasibility, passion, profitability, and marketability.
The major beef I have with this planner (and most planners) is that it requires you to use small writing, but because that's the compromise of most planners, it's certainly not a deal breaker...for everyone. However, if it is a no-go for you, then keep reading.
The Content Planner.
www.thecontentplanner.com
If you're big on social media or working towards increasing your social media presence for your personal brand and/or your business, this one is for the books (pun intended).
The Content Planner allows you to list weekly and monthly goals, days (National BFF Day, etc.), and events that ought to be on your radar that appeal to your followers, hashtags, and potential content collabos. Additionally, there is room for a miniature vision/branding board to keep you manifesting nothing short of greatness. Plus, it comes with stickers! I don't know about you but I'm of the Lisa Frank era and there's nothing that I can't do when I put my mind and some stickers to use.
Passion Planner.
The Passion Planner is popular among planner addicts and understandably so. First and foremost, they allow you to pick from three sensible calendars: 1. Dated Yearly (January through December), 2. Academic (August through July), and 3. Undated (start getting your life together whenever). The planner breaks down into an hour by hour game plan of your day, an area of the good things that happened in your week, and the things you're focusing on during your week. Read, write, and recite — that's the manifestation motto for the year and it can be done with this planner.
The Happy Planner.
Dress it up or dress it down with this fun planner that gives plenty of space for creativity and larger writing. This is for the DIY guru on the go. If you're someone who is motivated or relaxed by a good scrapbooking project, this planner has your name on it. You can coordinate everything from the color scheme, stickers, to the dividers and layout. My favorite part about this planner is that you can reuse it at the end of the year since it's not bound.
Erin Condren.
Similar to the Happy Planner, Erin Condren has all the room you need to get creative with your planning process and then some. Erin Condren allows you to change your cover when the mood strikes and accessorize with "snap-in to-do list", travel dashboards for the jet-setter in you, and much more. They also have a variety of bases to start from that cater to every type of woman, including lesson planners for teachers and wedding planners to the hardbound life planner that balances all of your needs.
With the abundance of eye-catching planners you can scour the Internet for, here's to hoping that we helped you narrow down your search to only the cream of the crop. We want to win and we want to see you win, and the first step to doing so is stepping into 2019 with a game plan.
Featured image by Getty Images
- The Best Daily Planners for 2019 - Best Agendas for 2019 ›
- The best planner for students and professionals - Business Insider ›
- 2019 Diary Chooser: What's the best 2019 diary for you? - Journal ›
- Best Feminine Monthly - Yearly Planners for 2019 - Stray Curls ›
- Amazon Best Sellers: Best Planners ›
- Best Planners For 2019 Organization, Goals ›
RELATED
Here are some of my favorite takeaways from three standout panels featuring Jordan Chiles, Marsai Martin, and Kandi Burruss.
Leveling Up Your A-Game with Jordan Chiles, Morgan Shaw Parker, Chelsea Fishman, Laura Correnti, and Tabitha Turner-Wilkins
Jordan Chiles
Paras Griffin/ Getty Images for Power Play
Olympic gymnast Jordan may have medals and magazine covers to her name, but her mindset is refreshingly grounded. “The day I finally feel pressure,” she said, “will be the day I know there’s still more for me to learn.” For her, joy—not pressure—is the fuel. Her confidence isn’t performative; it’s rooted in family, self-worth, and authenticity.
“Everything I’ve done in my career—tattoos, long nails, rocking my crew at the Olympics—that’s all me. It’s not because someone told me to do it. It’s because I felt confident doing it. And that’s where my ambition comes from: being my authentic self.”
For Morgan Shaw Parker, President & COO of the Atlanta Dream, the conversation around pressure went even deeper. “Legacy work” is how she described her mission—navigating male-dominated spaces, sometimes pregnant and pumping on NFL team planes. “After COVID and George Floyd,” she shared, “it became clear to me: vulnerability is power. You don’t have to show up perfect to lead.”
Chelsea Fishman, founder of Atlanta's first bar dedicated to women’s sports, Jolene Jolene, shared how the haters (especially the Reddit kind) were her confirmation: “All those comments saying it would fail—those were the signs that I was doing something right.” She’s hosted 25+ watch parties already and is building the very community they said would never come.
This panel also touched on ambition, authenticity, and owning your power—both in sneakers and in suits. One of the best mic-drop moments came when the moderator flipped the question: “What if we stopped making ‘power’ a bad word for women?” A nod-worthy reminder that we’re not here to play small.
Making Your Voice Heard with Marsai Martin, Carol Martin, Miss Milan, and Heather McMahan
Marsai Martin
Paras Griffin/ Getty Images for Power Play
This panel was a masterclass in staying grounded while growing up—or glamming up—on the global stage. Actress and producer Marsai talked about what it’s like to show up in high-pressure moments when your confidence is low but the world is still watching. From red carpets to long shoot days, she reminded us that even when you’re not at 100%, you still find a way to push through.
“There have been days where I wasn’t feeling the best, but I still had to show up on this carpet. Or it was that time of the month, but I still had to go on set. I just didn’t feel as confident—but it’s about how you take care of yourself in those moments and still keep pushing.”
Her mom and business partner Carol Martin dropped gems about motherhood and mentorship: “It’s like teaching your kid to ride a bike over and over again. Now the bike is a movie or a brand.” That balance between guiding and letting go? Not easy—but essential when you’re raising a mogul and running a company.
“There have been days where I wasn’t feeling the best, but I still had to show up on this carpet. Or it was that time of the month, but I still had to go on set. I just didn’t feel as confident—but it’s about how you take care of yourself in those moments and still keep pushing.”
Miss Milan, Grammy Award-winning DJ and Doechii’s right-hand woman, lit the crowd up with her no-nonsense energy. “I built my own table,” she said. “When you build it, they can’t tell you you can’t sit.” From journaling her dreams to manifesting Grammys, her story is one of resilience and intention—and a whole lot of faith in her own vision.
This panel didn’t shy away from hard truths either: the sadness that can come with success, the fear of fading relevance, the criticism that hits differently when it’s personal. But Marsai said it best: know your why. And let it evolve with you.
The Cost of Starting Your Own Business with Kandi Burruss and Nikki Ogunnaike
Kandi Burruss
Carol Lee Rose/ Getty Images for Marie ClaireKandi doesn’t sugarcoat the grind. From chart-topping songwriter to multi-business entrepreneur, she’s built her empire one risk—and one reinvention—at a time.
“Fear equals failure. If you don’t even try, you’ve failed automatically —and you did it to yourself. I’d rather take a risk and lose money than play it safe and never know what could’ve happened.”
She broke down the real costs of entrepreneurship: money, time, and emotional bandwidth. “You think you’re going to work less when you work for yourself?” she laughed. “You’re going to work more.” For Kandi, mommy guilt and financial setbacks are part of the package—but so is the satisfaction of seeing an idea through.
She opened up about scaling back on her clothing store and temporarily closing the original Old Lady Gang location. “It felt like failure,” she admitted, “but sometimes you have to step back to make things better.” Still, she’s not one to quit. She just pivots—with precision.
One of her most memorable reflections? How her music career hiccup led her to songwriting—ultimately writing the mega-hit “No Scrubs.” That song became the key to a new lane and legacy. “You may think you’re working on one dream,” she said, “but it could open the door to another.”
Also? Kandi wants you to stop emailing her from a Gmail. “You’re doing million-dollar business on a bootleg budget,” she joked. “Invest in yourself. Start with a domain name!”
The Marie Claire Power Play Summit was a powerful reminder that ambition, authenticity, and vulnerability aren’t separate traits—they work in tandem. Whether you’re building a bar, a brand, or a business from scratch, the key is to stay rooted in your voice, your story, and your why.
And if you need a sign to go for it? Consider this your green light.
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Feature image by Paras Griffin/ Getty Images for Power Play