Researching your family history is a large undertaking. It is not uncommon for researchers to feel overwhelmed by the enormity of it from time to time. Here are four strategies to help you organise your family history to get back in control.
Take a break
One of the best strategies to organise your family history is to put your research aside for a while and give yourself time to recharge. You could take half an hour and go for a walk, take a day, or weeks or months. Whatever time you need. Do not let yourself feel guilty for doing so.
If the reason you are feeling overwhelmed is that you just returned from a break and are having trouble determining where to start, then try one of these other strategies.
Break it down
Any large object or project is easier to manage if you break it down into smaller pieces. Never try to tackle a difficult research problem when you are feeling overwhelmed. Go for small wins to build your confidence again.
Tasks
- Focus on just one person for a while, or one family group, or one time period.
- Write down three tasks (yes, tasks, not research questions) and complete them. When they are done, write down three more.
- Spend time on something in your family history that you really enjoy – even if it is just reading old newspapers.
Organise your family history
The feeling of being overwhelmed will lessen if you organise your family history and have a plan for what you want to do next. However, getting organised can seem like a huge task in itself, so you should break it down into manageable chunks and plan to address it over a period of months.
Tasks
- Print out a copy of your family tree and review where you are up to. Are there any obvious gaps that you need to focus on?
- Conduct a Tree Health Assessment (THA) of your family tree to determine which parts you have substantiated and which parts need more evidence. You can download instructions for a THA on my Free Stuff page.
- Review your research goals and identify your objectives. Which aspects your research are the most important to you?
- Prepare research plans for the families that you want to research next. The blog series that I wrote on research planning will give you some ideas for this process. Search ‘research planning’ in the search bar to the right of this post.
- Organise your papers, your files and the research that you have already done. Aim to do a bit of maintenance each time you sit down, or set a regular day – weekly, fortnightly, monthly.
Get help
Learning how to do something better is a great way to feel more in control. There are a lot of great lectures, workshops and books out there that provide guidance on the research process. Look for ones that are relevant to your research and your skill levels, or ones that seem like fun.
You can also get help by visiting a family history library or archive, joining a family history Facebook group, or by employing a professional genealogist.
More information
For more of my articles about research methods for family history, go to the Research Methods page.
For more of my articles about organising your family history, go to the Organise page.
For family history lectures and courses, see the Society of Australian Genealogists’ Events page.
Post last updated 4 June 2024
