I was really flattered when Allison Carter and Judith Kolberg contacted me in January with a request to review their new e-book. The fact that I am only doing so now takes me back to my corporate days, when I overheard a colleague say he was too busy to attend the time management workshop his manager had scheduled for him.

Although I was definitely feeling overwhelmed with both work and reading materials earlier in the year, the ironic reality is that had I made a sincere effort to read the e-book sooner rather than later, I’d have been pleased to discover that it is a light and easy read that took only about an hour of my time. Even more importantly, it addresses the very issues that were contributing to my sense of overwhelm: information overload, multiple sources of communication, and social media.

Yes, today’s technology has presented us with challenges that my co-worker couldn’t even have imagined back in the 80s, but at the same time, it has provided us with wonderful tools to help us to organize just about every aspect of our personal and professional lives. And this is where Sync or Swim stands apart from other organizing books you may have read. As it says in the introduction,

Sync or Swim tips are “new school”. They address problems with a ‘technology-light’ spin. We cover managing the inflow of information, storing information and syncing devices, managing social media, organizing finances, home maintenance and family management, safety and security, organizing gizmos and gadgets, and health and wellness.

Although Kolberg and Carter are recognized experts in the organizing industry, they didn’t rely on their own knowledge to write this book. Instead, they supplemented their advice with selected tips from more than 50 other contributors to provide a broad range of perspectives and ideas. While looking at the list of contributors, I was pleased to see my client Julie Stobbe of Mind over Clutter as well as several Professional Organizers Blog Carnival Star Bloggers: Ellen Delap of Professional-Organizer.com, Julie Bestry of Best Results Organizing, Ramona Creel, and Deb Lee of D. Allison Lee LLC.

One of the things I like best about Sync or Swim is the abundance of practical tools recommended throughout. There are many tools available online for managing time, money, and all types of information, and Sync or Swim is a great resource for learning what’s out there and helping you find a solution that’s right for your client or for yourself. Although I read through it in an hour, I plan to spend much more time exploring the links suggested by the various contributors, many of which had eluded the attention of even this admitted information junkie.

You can order Sync or Swim in Kindle format. It would make a great addition to your library!

What is YOUR best tip for staying afloat in our changing world?