1. Make a list
2. Check it Twice
3. Separate said list into Who was Naughty vs Nice
Oh if it could just be that easy !
December is an uber busy month whether you personally celebrate Christmas or not. There are office parties, year end tax decisions, Holiday tipping of service people, the list goes on and on. Plus, most of us still continue to work during this month of craziness.
Here is my List of 3 December Must-dos. If you get these and only these accomplished this month in addition to all else that demands your time, you are nearing the black belt level for dedication !
I. Make a Space, a real Writer’s Corner for yourself. This is not where you will necessarily store all of your reference materials, research piles (I mean files) and such. This is a cozy, businesslike, inspiring, invigorating…whatever kind of environment you like to work in…spot for you to go to each day and write. Maybe its your mini van at carpool waiting line, or a big cushy chair with the TV off, a high perch on a cliff or a spot on the beach. Whatever is convenient, comfortable and most importantly, available! If the place of your dreams isn’t available to you in the here and now, by all means, be there in your head. But for now, as your December Must-do, find a physical spot that you can reliably go to and feel good about. Claim it!
II. Update and Collect contact info for all of your Family. Go all out, get the addresses, land line, office, and mobile phone numbers, hash-tags, websites, Facebook, all of it for every relative you can think of! An easy way to do this is to add a quick little pre-printed note into your Holiday cards this year. Simply mention that for Christmas this year, you have decided to treat yourself to the gift of becoming more organized! Everyone can appreciate that. Also, its a gift they can offer back for free. Give them the option to phone you, email, or write with the info for themselves, their children, parents, everyone they know of. Often, its an excuse to break the ice and make a long overdue contact. This is much easier when you are given a purpose…to help you get your Christmas wish
. Note that you will be compiling all of this new info in one tidy and specifically designated spot…don’t loose it!
III. Lastly, do a lot of Listening! Especially if you tend to yak on and on about genealogy. You’ll likely be surprised at what you hear, and can pursue further when you are listening to others. Keep a good mental scorecard, and do have your photo and document scanners handy in your bag IN CASE someone offers !
Great list–I especially like #3 about listening. It’s a good reminder about how much we can learn by listening.