Escaping the winter doldrums

By Nancy Battick

Once the excitement of the holidays has passed, it’s easy to slip into the winter doldrums. Ice, snow and cold often mean people tend to stay home and hunker down. It’s easy to do as little as possible. But for genealogists, winter can be a productive season. 

Here are some projects you can undertake.

Catch up on your data entry. If you have stacks of research that isn’t in your genealogical software, now is a good time to get that done.  If you have records that need to be placed in physical files, try to schedule some time for that chore. It’s tedious, but worth the effort. Not only will your research improve, but you’ll be surprised how a neat work environment can lift your spirits.

If you have a list of potential sources for your genealogy that you haven’t contacted, how about sending emails or even writing an old-fashioned letter? If you have distant family members you’ve meant to contact regarding what they know about your family, winter is the perfect time to do it. It may not yield results, but you’ll know you can cross that off you to-do list.

Perhaps you need to send request forms for information or a copy of a record such as a Social Security application.  This is a good time of year to get those forms out, especially since there’s often a waiting period for results.

Also, if you need a vital record from a different state, you can go online and find out what you need to do to secure the record and send for it. 

Have you been meaning to write a query for additional help but have been putting it off? Why not draft one and send it to whatever journal or website is most likely to yield results?

Are there albums of family photos you’ve been neglecting? How about getting them in order and writing captions for them? If you’re tech-savvy, how about digitizing the collection and then sharing it with other members of the family? 

Do you have out-of-date slides? No one uses a slide projector anymore, so if you have the wherewithal, you can purchase a converter and spend a few hours each week converting those slides into digital images.

Is there a genealogical book you’ve been meaning to order? You might consider getting it and seeing what it can add to your family knowledge.

Maybe someone has asked for help with one of your genealogical lines and you’ve been too busy to help them. Communicate and share your knowledge. 

Daydreaming during a snowstorm or reading a good book aren’t bad. While daydreaming, why not make plans for a research trip when the weather is better? Do your homework, and get everything ready to go once spring arrives. And you can feel more comfortable traveling again.

There are dozens of other things we can do in the winter months. Look around and tackle something that will help you survive the winter doldrums. Good luck.

Columnist Nancy Battick of Dover-Foxcroft has researched genealogy for over 30 years. She is past president of the Maine Genealogical Society, author of several genealogical articles and co-transcribed the Vital Records of Dover-Foxcroft. Nancy holds an MA in History from UM. Reader emails are welcome at nbattick@roadrunner.com.