Organization is key to Success
This afternoon, while I was going through my routine of reading email, checking facebook and looking through other family history blogs. I came across an eye opening blog on organization for bloggers. Thomas MacEntee over at Genea Bloggers does a wonderful job of keeping everyone up to date on what is going on in the genealogy world. One would never think that he will be able two find a new way to help us, but it seems that each week he puts out something new!
Last night I spent a great deal of my evening helping my son Corey, who is 17, get organized for his last year of High School. The norm for him, is to just put things down and then take a few hours to find it when he decides he needs it.
For example, this summer he spent two weeks in England. He had already been out of the country once, so we did not need to get him a passport. For months I had told him he needed to find it so that we had no problems when he leaves for England, which would be a few days after school let out. I cannot tell you about the conversations we had about him not being able to find the passport. I told him I would look through my files to see if I filed it with the other important information while he was at school (this was the last week), needless to say, we were down to days before his flight. After I searched all of my files and did not find it, I went into his room and found the passport within 1 minute. He had it on a book shelf, over his bed. I could not believe he had it right here and could not find it! Of course, when I told him this, he told me I had it the time and I was playing games with him. When he did come home, I filed the passport with all other important information. We will not have this problem again.
Corey in England
Back to school organization, first we put all his notebooks, binders and folders together with the class they went to, in order of the day’s schedule. Then we organized a file box for his classes as well. So that once his binder was full, he could just move things into the file box. In the back of the file box, we put together files for all the colleges he plans to apply at. What a list that is! Then in the very back is a file for Misc. Colleges. I am grateful just to get these letters off of the coffee table. (I do not remember these letters coming when my daughter was a Senior). Corey told my basically that I “rock” when we finished this. He could not believe that we could get him so organized and ready for this important year ahead of him.
One can see that Thomas’ post hit home for me today. To spend the time organizing everyone else and not myself, unacceptable! So, I have finally created my calendar for Finding Our Ancestors! I have inserted all the upcoming carnivals, with the information for that specific carnival. Also, put in all the daily themes. My goal is to try to take some time on the weekends and get everything done for the upcoming week. As a blogger, I know I do not spend enough time on my blog. I do it all by the seat of my pants and move on from there.
As a family researcher, one of my goals for the summer was to move forward in my research. I have failed at this because I did not organize myself to be successful. Hopefully, I will be able to spend the next week or so organizing my research as well. I have completed a few simple tasks over the summer, but I could have done so much more. If anyone has any great ways they organize their research, I would love some tips on that.
First, thanks for the GeneaBloggers shout out! I’d been meaning to write the post on editorial calendars for the longest time!
Second, I did a “cringe” when I read about your son’s passport and not being able to find it. I actually lost my passport on a plane and this as about two months after 9-11! It is not a fun process to file paperwork about the missing passport and get a new one – I’m glad he found it.
And finally good for you for getting organized! I’m looking forward to your blog posts.