Organize Your Family History

Stay focused and happy while exploring your roots

July 30 x 30 wrap up

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It’s the end of the month! The 30 x 30 challenge officially ended yesterday. I wanted to check in today and out how this summer’s challenge went. Were you able to do something genealogy-related every day for 30 days? Please report in the comments!

I’ll start: The challenge was tremendous for me. It was just what I needed to refocus. Having made this commitment, I made sure to do the research every morning, before I got going with other stuff during the day. I find that if I want to get something done, I need to do it first thing in the morning.

Whereas prior to this challenge, according to my research log, I hadn’t researched in two weeks, this month I blogged each and every day, save one. I did have one early-morning client appointment that prompted me to eschew research until later in the day. But after eight hours of leading a decluttering team that day, I was too brain dead to research. So I did miss one day. But overall I felt great about the challenge.

I notice that when I research a little bit every day, I stay in touch with my research and I don’t get overwhelmed. Also with daily research I always know what I’m going to work on when I get started (since it’s been just a day since my last session). That makes makes getting started much easier. It’s a huge benefit to daily research.

Even though the challenge is officially over, I’m going to try to continue with the daily research.

I’d love to hear how it went for those of you who decided to participate this month!

How’s the July 30 x 30 challenge going?

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We had a record number of people say they were up for this month’s 30 x 30 challenge, in which we commit to doing 30 minutes of genealogy research (or organizing or digitizing or whatever project you choose) for 30 days in a row.

We’ve passed the half-way point of the challenge, so I wanted to ask: how’s it going?

I’ve managed to do at least 30 minutes of genealogy research each day. It’s been so enjoyable and I feel very connected to my ancestors. On almost all the days, I’ve researched in the morning, before I left the house. On the weekends, I’ve managed to put in more time. But on weekday mornings, I set a timer and stop after 30 minutes.

I’m using my Evernote research log consistently, so it’s very easy for me to pick up where I left off.

Your turn: Please report in the comments. How’s your challenge going?

Join me for a July 30 x 30 challenge?

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My life has been a bit hectic and genealogy research has dropped to the bottom of the priority list. My antidote to that? A new 30 x 30 challenge!

Who wants to join me? In the 30 x 30 challenge, I commit to doing 30 minutes of genealogy research (or genealogy organizing) every day for 30 days. This challenge will start on Sunday, July 1 and end on Monday, July 30.

Whenever I make this commitment, my research goes to the top of my priority list (which usually means I do it first thing in the morning) and my genealogy productivity and enjoyment skyrockets.

Please comment below if you’d like to join me in the challenge. Mid-month I’ll post a progress report. Here’s to a July full of fun genealogy research!

April 30 x 30 wrap up

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It’s May 1, which means that the April 30 x 30 challenge ended yesterday. How did it go for you?

My month went well, though I missed three days. I was going along just fine until I left town for a conference for professional organizers. I just plain forgot to do research one day! Another day, while at the conference, I started to do research, but my heart wasn’t in it. And then yesterday, my first day home, was hectic and I didn’t manage to do any research.

So I researched (or organized) 27 out of 30 days. I’m okay with that.

One thing I noticed, as I have before, is that I’m best off if I work on my genealogy in the morning, preferably before I walk my dog. If I leave it until the end of the day, I’m sometimes too tired or unmotivated.

Another thing that happened is that I started feeling overwhelmed by my backlog of downloaded documents to be processed. Some were deeds that I’d found on microfilm at the Family History Library and copied to a flash drive. Typically, the unprocessed files hang out in my Surnames folder, as loose files. Since they all start with a date, they rise to the top, above the individual surname folders.

So many deeds had accumulated (I counted 29!) that I was overwhelmed. I created a folder called *Deeds to be processed. (The asterisk puts the folder above the surname folders.) I moved all the deeds into that folder, then moved one at a time out of that folder, so that it was in the usual place for my backlog of documents. A deed stayed there until I finished transcribing it and extracting information. Then I moved the deed and its transcription to the appropriate person folder. (You can read more about my digital workflow…the point of all this is that I created a temporary folder to corral the deeds that were overwhelming me.)

I’m trying hard not to do new research until my backlog is finished. The deeds are a little tedious but they’re providing some great insights, so I’m grateful to be working on them.

Enough about me. If you participated in the 30 x 30 challenge, how did it go? If you didn’t participate or had to cut out early, rest assured I’ll be having another one before too long.

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When you first join the list, I’ll send you a few emails to help you organize your family history. After that you’ll hear from me at the end of every month when I send an email with links to that month’s posts. And every now and then, I’ll let you know when I have something special to promote.