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Balancing Genealogy Time And Lifes Needs         Published Monthly
Lesson 039...                                                                                                            2019 01 01

Defining The Problem...
We love our hobby (Perhaps a little too much!), but life has needs.
Defining which one gets in the way of the other can be a difficult decision.

Choosing between an enjoyable pastime and necessary workloads isn't always pleasant.
Poor choices often lead to increased workloads further down the line.

Being aware that the information we seek is disappearing, sometimes increases phobiatic behavior.
Feeling a need to scurry about collecting data while you can is usually the driving force of that action.

We naturally spend more time with the things we love, and less time with the things requiring work.
Devoting an increased time to any endeavor naturally brings better time/result ratios.
So we begin to excel at our hobby and enjoy the progress!

A renewed rationalization (Justifying) of time spent comes each time another resource disappears.
With frenzied approach, we give ourselves yet another deadline/time-limit to work until.
Eventually, even we ourselves recognise that it's only a temporary facade.


How Did That Happen?...
A continual growing thirst for genealogy and family tree history rises within us.
Over time, we become aware of many historical events and how it is that they came to be.
The realization is that one segment of humans simply overcomes another, altering both thier futures.

It soon becomes clear that far too many people are easily swayed by emotion, anger and rhetoric.
Add the knowledge that this scenario is played out historically in an almost specific time-loop.
Large or small, within each political change, there has always been a part of history lost.

Recognising this, we begin to feel a compulsion to save what we can-And not entrust it to others!
Whether this is simply a "control issue" or because of an adept approach is debatable.
There are other reasons that influence as well, though not as strongly.

Coupling curiosity with research skills brings the knowledge of repetitive historical changes.
It's easy to become absorbed in learning/gathering new "evidence" to prove what you've found.
Excelling at research might seem like a major progress, but not if it's at the expense of other things.


What Can We Do To Fix This?...
Time management. It's a skill we've probably learned well in relation to doing research.
Now it's time to put that skill into the other parts of our life. The reason is this.

Lists, lists, and more lists....
They drive us crazy, but are necessary to keep us on-track.
It's likely that our genealogy worklist is already made, so we need to concentrate on a lifeneeds list.

We start the in same way as our beloved hobby lists-By showing the more critical needs first.
Another way (For those not easily torn from their hobby) is to start with the smaller/easier tasks.
Regardles of your method, the critical factor is to start addressing the things that support your fun!

Mixing both fun and work is the only way to sustain a continuous progressive flow in both areas.
There will of course there will be times within each that demand prolonged attention.
Large projects or needs as well as data approaching a known deadline.

Combining or tending to both needs and fun ultimately result in a longer term funtime and funding.
In reality, longterm research is the vehicle used to promote greater use to all of your tree.
A family trees value is in its preservation and continual expansion for all to see.


How Can We Then Find All The Lost Data "In Time"?...
While seemingly a separate matter, it's in reality a connection to lifes needs.
Tend to the necessary work of vehicle maintenance or household cleaning and organizing.
These works will undoubtedly eventually demand attention at a time and place of their own discretion.

The key is to mingle wants and needs in a fashion that's acceptable without interuption to either.
We're not "stopping production" of the family tree in order to perform house needs.
Instead, we do house needs now to not force "production stops" later.

Look closely, there are likely some down-times during maintenance needs that can mix with research.
Between laundry loads, cemetery stops "en route", waiting for parts deliveries, and more!
Using these types of time can change a production-halt to a production-slow.

Hopefully this will be enough to satisfy your desire as well as make some headway in your family tree.
Regardless of how much or how little progress is made, it's still more than a total stop later on.
The result is further overall progress than would be had by giving a total dedication of time.


What Did We Learn From This?...
Life happens... And it won't wait. There are things we need to do whether we add genealogy or not.
When all is said and done, they are what enable us to perform our work on the family tree.

Our drive to preserve the family tree history is fueled by the very knowledge of it's past.
We understand the necessity and even the haste far better than most others do.
In the grand-scheme, our contribution will be only one drop in the bucket!

We can only do so much, and we need to learn to accept this.
Accuracy is far more important than tree size, and it should be stressed emphatically.
Even when we know that we are far better at it than those "would-be-copy/paste-genealogist-friends".

Whatever amount we accomplish (Large or small), it's still more than those who have not tried at all.
Just as we built a family tree from portions of others, ours will be used later in the same way.
Document images and photos of people should be shown as verified by someone.

First do the things that you must, then try for things you can....
Alternating tasks may work best for some, while time allotments serve others well.
It's critical to achieve a certain minimal amount of progress in both areas in order to maintain interest!


The Basic Rules...
First...
Take care of the homefront first. It's what allows the funtime of your hobby.
Like it or not, it must be done in order to maintain family tree longterm progress.

Second...
Mingle the wants and needs of family, home, vehicle and hobby to suit their needs.
Find an acceptable amount for both enjoyment and needs times before adding to either.

Third...
Understanding the use of this method will do far more towards helping your family tree grow.
We're each just temporary keepers of trees, doing what we can before passing it onto the next.



As always...
What you'll choose to do with this information is up to you.
It will at least serve as a stepping stone for further knowledge.
You should be applauded for your willingness to educate yourself.

These are only basic guidelines, and can always be adjusted to suit your personal needs or budget.
Hopefully the knowledge gained here will help you to be better positioned as a family historian!

      Happy searches!!

        Massachusetts

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