I am so ready for a new 30 x 30 challenge in which I commit to doing 30 minutes of genealogy research for the 30 days of June. Ordinarily, I would declare a 30 x 30 challenge closer to the first of the month, but since it’s the start of Memorial Day weekend, I thought you might want to plan ahead. Let me know in the comments if you’d like to join in on the challenge!
I had a really successful 30 x 30 in April and I had a great start in May, but once I started traveling on May 11 (I went to Walla Walla, Washington, to visit my dad), I fell off the wagon and I haven’t researched since. Having a challenge going is enough for me to elevate genealogy research on my daily task list.
I find that when I research daily–even if only for a few minutes–I stay in touch with my research and researching is easier. (I wrote a post about the value of daily research a few years ago.) Because my time is limited, I tend to set a timer for 30 minutes to keep me from getting lost in the research. (I dream of the day I’m retired and can research all day if I want!)
I’m looking forward to getting back to daily research. I hope you’ll join me!
I’ll join you on the challenge, Janine. I recently took on, along with my brother, my mom’s genealogy research. I’m finding it hard to make the time to do anything. Maybe the 30 x30 challenge will help me get a habit started.
What?!? I’m so excited, Patti. You and I need to talk. (And for folks reading this, Patti and I have been friends for almost 40 years.)
Love to Janine. You know my mother and brother subscribe to this blog. And I think my brother purchased some of your products.
I noticed your brother’s name among the purchasers! I’ll text you and we can schedule a call.
Heck, yes!
Excellent, Janet!
Seem to be doing it in any event so why not try a formal approach.
There you go. It’s always nice to be a part of a community, right?
Count me in! Janine, joining you in your 30×30’s has been such a wonderful boost in helping me be consistent in my genealogy, whether it’s research, file naming and placing, transcribing, tree cleaning, and even trying to watch at least 1 teaching video a week. Thank you for sharing this wonderful challenge with us!
That makes me so happy, Deb! Here’s to a great month.
Thank, Janine, for encouraging all of us to get back on the genealogy bandwagon. I am so ready!! Count me in.
Terrific! I’m excited to get back on the bandwagon again too!
I am in. I always enjoy this challenge. I will be on a trip to Morro Bay the week of June 14th. I will have my IPad so hopefully I can do something’s relating to genealogy. Still working on my carry over items from 2020.
Jerry, I hope you have a fun trip and I’m excited you’re bringing the 30 x 30 challenge with you!
I haven’t done any genealogy in May. This will get me going again. Today I created 3 memorial pages on Fold3.
Excellent, Karen! I love the jump start that the challenge provides.
Janine, your comment about retirement and all day research made me laugh. I have been retired for 3 years. Expanding the garden, trying something totally new (watercolor painting), not to mention what life tends to throw at you and I still run out of day before I run out of things to do. Which is actually good. But time to be more disciplined about the ancestors since my research journal has one minor entry for April and 3 for May. Poor things must think I abandoned them.
I get your point, Roberta! I think that when I retire I’ll want to spend my time with ancestors, but who knows! Glad you’re joining the challenge so your ancestors won’t feel abandoned. 🙂
I am going to give it a go, though as I am moving house in the middle of June I think I will be happy with about 75% – 80% of the full challenge. Fingers crossed.
I’ll be very impressed if you can get 75 to 80 percent of the challenge done this month, Missy, if you’re moving house! Maybe you need to set an entirely different genealogy goal for the month. Please be kind to yourself! And good luck with the move!
Count me in. I plan to continue my unfinished project from the April challenge. Even with several family weddings and vacation, I plan to get in 30 minutes a day.
Excellent, Gwen. I hope it’s a great month!
Count me in! I started outlining a project right after I read your “How I Do It” publication – I am re-organizing (or in some cases organizing in the first place!) all my digital files, including renaming them in a consistent manner. I’ve already created spreadsheet for the project which lists my goal, a second tab to track progress, steps to prepare (which I’ve done during May) and an execution plan, including my file and folder name system.
I’ve already uploaded all of my existing digital files to my genealogy Google drive (I was going to use Dropbox, but I had too many files for the free version!) and deleted the files from my external hard drive. I’ve retained my back up copies on One Drive and will be working from those. The Google Drive will serve as a back up in case something catastrophic happens. Once a surname folder is completed, I will download it to my external hard drive, keeping the One Drive as the master back up.
It will probably take more than 30 days do finish, but I figure it will get me into the habit!
Wow, Cecile, I’m so glad that How I Do It was helpful. It sounds like you have a great plan to organize your digital files! I hope the 30 x 30 is really helpful!!
Yes, I was really inspired! This will be my first 30 x 30 challenge so I hope I am up to it! I have a lot of organizing projects in my future (lol) and I plan to use your principles to keep it going, and these 30 x 30 challenges to keep me accountable. In looking at some of my digital files, I realize the next project will need to be digitizing my paper files so that I have all of my documents in one place! Well, more than one place as I plan to have a backup or two!
That’s great, Cecile. Digitizing your paper files (and naming and filing them) is a great project to do a little at a time every day. It’ll just get easier and easier, I suspect/
Count me in! These 30x30s have really helped me develop a daily genealogy habit. Thanks for encouraging us!
Yay, Zenda! So glad the challenges have been helpful. Let’s hear it for the daily genealogy habit!
Perfect timing! I am going to sit down tonight and outline what I want to accomplish in June.
Fantastic, Bobbi! I hope it’s a great 30 x 30 for you!
I will join on a modified schedule. I will be out of town for a week. I’m going to work on updating my database on my paternal line after spending 5 months updating my database on my maternal line. I’m trying to bring my lines up to the 1940 census. It is tedious work.
Tedious work is a great thing to do a little at a time! I hope ou make some great progress for the portion of June you’re able to work!
I’m in! I’ve hardly done any in May so I’m hoping to get more done in June.
Also, the Southern California Genealogy Jamboree (virtual) conference will be June 11-12. (I’m attending it.) But I just wanted to let people know that it’s occurring.
Rebecca, I’m so glad you’re joining! And thank you for the reminder about the Genealogy Jamboree virtual conference! I should have blogged about it by now and I will remedy that. Hope you’re doing well. I was just thinking about you yesterday and how we meet at RootsTech 2020.
I’d LOVE to join you for my first 30 x 30 challenge. I just discovered the joy of genealogy.
Welcome to the challenge! You’re in for a lot of fun and discovery.
I will join you this month. I like the motivator of knowing there is a community out there doing this too!
Excellent, me too, Elizabeth! I’m glad you’re joining the challenge this month.
Janine, count me in! I have put the first 31 people from my Ahnentafel one per day of this coming month (30-31 on June 30th). I hope you do another one this summer so that I can do 32-63 then. I am going to focus on census records and sources.
Wonderful, Christy! I will definitely do another one this summer, probably in August. I love your focus.
I love the idea behind this challenge! I will join you.
Oh good, Renita! Welcome to the challenge.
Count me in Janine! This sounds like a great idea.
Excellent, Terry!
I would like to join you. This will be my first 30×30 challenge. I am excited about joining the challenge. Thanks Janine for what you do for the genealogy community.
Welcome, Mary Ann! I’m so glad to have you join you first challenge. I hope you find it really helpful.
I am going to take the leap and join you for the 30 x 30 challenge which will be my first time taking part. I’ve been a genealogist since the mid-1970’s (back when everything was on paper) and I have been slowly trying to computerize everything so there is no chance I will run out of work to do! Thank you for holding this challenge. I am looking forward to participating.
Cheryl, I’m glad you’re joining the challenge! If you’re working on your goal to computerize everything, the daily effort during the challenge month should be really helpful!
Yes, read your email and Yes, need a boost like this to get back on track.
Great, Joan. I hope this is just the boost you need!
Yes, I will join. Hold me accountable. That is the only way I will actually stay committed and not get side tracked.
Great, Rebecca. I’ll be posting a mid-month check in and I look forward to your report then!
I’ll be joining again. Still working on my descendent tree for Andrew Nicol in Scotland. I learned a lot about Scottish geography and records.
That’s great, Sky! Welcome to the challenge!
I typically do a bit of research every day as I eat my breakfast prior to going to work. I yearn to have more than 15 minutes of time! I will participate and try to stay on task. I like your idea of writing down what I did each day so I can continue the next day. I flit around doing whatever strikes my mood. So count me in also!
I really hope you find that time for the extra 15 minutes a day and that it helps you a lot! You’re already ahead of the game by having a habit of daily research!