Those large genealogy projects tend to never get done. Instead of thinking about all the family members you want to document or all the family items you have to preserve, start small.
I’ve decided to work on documenting the descendants of one set of 4th great-grandparents through their great-grandchildren. It’s a small enough task that it will be easier to manage that tracing down all the descendants through the current time. And it is better than doing nothing.
Instead of thinking about all those pictures and other items I have to digitize and organize, I am working on one box and will go from there. One is better than nothing.
Getting something done can also be motivation to continue on with other projects.
What large tasks on your genealogy “to-do list” could be replaced with smaller, more manageable ones?
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6 Responses
Michael, I learned this tip from you a long time ago when I was taking trips to Salt Late City years ago. I enjoy reading these articles you are doing now.
Thanks, Nancy. I need to remind myself of this occasionally as well.
Such great advice for genealogy and so much else in our lives! Thanks for the reminder!
“How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”
This is one of those tips that does not just apply to genealogy research 😉
Perfect timing Michael! Just perfect! I’ve been overwhelmed with some projects all hitting me at once (properly archiving my grandfather’s WWII stuff, switching computers and needing to switch over my info, creating a genealogy room since the kids left, finding the last tid-bit of info to prove my one line…but its at NARA and I’m just itching to go there, and going through all my “old” and “original” research to verify that I documented properly and transcribed properly). Sounds silly, but I needed this reminder like you wouldn’t believe. Oh, and I’ve also been downsizing the items in the house since we are “empty nesters” now (ie: sending the left over kid’s things to the kid’s at their homes). I think I’ve spent the past three months starting one thing, then thinking “no, I need to do this first”…basically I’ve been going in circles. I’ve never been like this before at all, so this was just fantastic! I’m printing it out as a reminder and pinning it right in front me at my desk/workspace!!
Glad I could help! I may need to print it out and place it in an obvious place myself.