I’m feeling the need again for a 30 x 30 challenge so that I make daily research a priority again. In my 30 x 30 challenges I challenge myself (and anyone who wants to join me) to doing 30 minutes of genealogy every day for 30 days.
I find that when I have a challenge going I’m much more likely to prioritize doing research and get it done first thing in the morning. When I don’t have the outer and inner accountability that a 30 x 30 challenge brings, I sometimes put genealogy research on the back burner.
I love doing my research each day in small bites because it keeps me engaged in my research and usually means that I don’t fall down a rabbit hole in marathon research sessions.
So who would like to join me on October 1? You can work on an organizing task or just do research or whatever else feels beneficial.
Let me know in the comments if you’d like to join me!
My local genealogy club members and I agreed that The Younguns want family stories more than family data. I think I’ll sign up and challenge myself to spend 30 minutes each morning on writing a remembered family story — not an epic, but, for example: the bits that I remember from a family reunion I attended about 1965. The details aren’t too clear, but I remember that someone brought a phonograph and records, and the aunties were dancing with each other in the shelterhouse. It’s more than the younger ones know or the ones who were already away in the military then. Maybe I can find a photo or two from the occasion.
I love this. What a great goal.
What a great project–something terrific to do 30 minutes at a time.
I’d think I’d like to join this challenge – give it a spin!
Excellent!!
I saw yes, but you know what they say about the best laid plans. LOL We’ll see how it goes.
And I can’t even spell right today! I meant ‘say’, not saw.
Go for it, Nancy!
I’m in. My organizational efforts were progressing well until midsummer – well summer is over so time to make some headway before the holidays hit. When my kids come to visit it would be nice to have their old rooms free of genealogy stuff!
That’s a great goal!
This sounds great, I am in!
Terrific!
I’m ready
Yes, I will join you,
Terrific! Best of luck, Dee.
Count me in!
Excellent!
I’m in.
Great, Kathy! I hope it goes well.
I’m in! Like you, I find that when I announce that I’m going to do a 30×30, I tend to get more done than when I don’t announce it. So please keep these 30x30s going! This month, I’m hoping to knock out the rest of my small backup of processing city directories that I found a month or two ago (I’m slowly making a city directory progress tracker for every person) and I need to continue on integrating the information from my files into my genealogy program!
Love your goals, Rebecca! Glad the 30 x 30 helps you.
I am in. I just finished my 1st 30 minute genealogy segment. Ever since I did your first 30 x 30 challenge, I have been trying to the 30 minute challenge as a routine procedure,. It has really helped me in stay focus on tasks I want to complete. This week is hectic for me, but I hate to ignore a challenge.
Glad you’re rising to the occasion, Jerry! I try to do 30 minutes a day all the time, but find that when I have a challenge going I stick to it more easily. Hope you have a great month of research.
I will give it a go, but I have rather a hectic month coming up. I really like Marian’s idea.
I think Marian’s idea is great, too, Judith. I love the great ideas that come in the comments!
I’m in but I will be doing mine on the way back across the country from visiting relatives. I think that I will spend my 30 minutes writing the stories that I was told. That way when I get home I can put them straight into my computer program. I love your 30 by 30 challenges.
Trisha, it’s so smart to write up those stories right after you hear them. So glad the 30 x 30 challenge is helpful for you. Safe travels!
I’m in! I’d failed to submit this declaration successfully via my iPhone, it appears. My goal for this month is to focus on communication.
– Pick a better way to log my communications with my many cousins and relatives (“DNA finds” and ones I grew up with). I’m thinking Evernote is the way to go! I’m going to move out of the spreadsheet, which was awkward….
– Go back and collect those into Evernote after getting my tags picked….
– If I am feeling friendly and outgoing, I’ll focus on my actual closer relatives or people I owe a response to on the Brady/Sullivan line. I will SHARE juicy tidbits and info so they can enjoy my findings now.
I imagine some of this will evolve over the month, but the point is to get my act together on these living folks who are collaborating with me or would enjoy my work. My emails and messages on 23&me, MyHeritage, and Ancestry are just too scattered!!!
Sounds like you have lots to work on this month!
Probably a bit TOO much! But I gotta try.
I’m in. I’ve been struggling to get my comments to post but I already started! Communication is the goal. I’ll describe it more once I know I’ve figured out how to post a comment.
I submitted a number of tries under my blog name a couple days ago, and tonight, and all failed to show up, but I got no failure message. I wrote the details! Are those messages lost or just sitting in a queue waiting for approval? If lost I’ll re-write.
Joy,
I’m so sorry you’re having problems commenting! I appreciate your mentioning it–I see now they got caught in a spam filter. I will take care of it!
So glad you’re in the challenge!
Count me in! Fall is a good time to get back at my genealogy, which was neglected over the summer…..looking forward to getting some new research accomplished!!
Excellent, Faye! Happy fall!!