Winter 2010 GeneaBloggers Games - Day 5

After taking a shorter nap yesterday, so I could have more time to participate in the Winter 2010 GeneaBlogger Games, I was dragging all day. There was no short nap for me this afternoon. Gosh you all must think all I do is sleep...and you're right!!  Napping didn't leave me much time to get some tasks done for the games, before the Olympics come on at night.

My focus today in the "Organize Your Research!" category was:

Task B: Organize at least 20 digital files into folders, label, add metadata, add descriptions, add tags, etc.
Task D: Organize at least 20 digital photos into folders, label, add metadata, add descriptions, add tags, etc.

I did a lot of scanning yesterday so I had plenty of digital documents to organize and label, etc.  I also had some photos I scanned during Scanfest that needed the same work.  I got right into my labeling then I ran into a hurdle on my first document.  Once I labeled it, filed it and then added the data I now needed to put the information into my database. Otherwise my filling system was all out of sync.  I am a creature of habit and things have to be done in order. I guess I'm a little OCD over organizing and recording my data.

My process of organizing and then recording the information afterwards ate up my precious time.  There was transcribing to do, sources to cite, attaching media to my RootsMagic file, I think some of you can appreciate the process.  Needless to say all I could accomplish in the time I had was to finish 8 documents.  Now I know there is a category to "Go Back and Cite Your Sources" in the competition, but I didn't even earn a bronze medal for my efforts.

It wasn't until I stopped my work in the computer room, to transition over to my evening routine, that some solutions came to me.  I could organize and label these documents into a holding file, something that I know I will late come back to later and finish.  This way I would know I needed to complete certain steps with them.  The other solution could be to put them in the right folders and just create a master list of what I need to finish on them.  I think the holding file sounds better. I will let myself sleep on the solution and decide later.

I am seeing a pattern here with me and these Winter Geneablogger Games.  I am such a creature of habit that I procrastinate doing things unless I have the time to do it right and complete. I could get so much more accomplished working on little chunks at a time. My current system doesn't have the flexiblity to do things that way though.  I already have a ton of scanned photos from Scanfest that need to be just labeled at least.  If I could set up a system to move them through a process that would be really handy.

I'm really starting to like the idea of a holding file. Hummmm, let me ponder on this one for a little bit.

See ya tomorrow, for tomorrow is always another genealogy day!