Amanda Kowalski

Amanda Kowalski is a national and state award-winning manager, editor and writer with more than 30 years of experience in newspapers, including writing two nationally syndicated columns. She also has experience in television and radio, as well as social media, video production and newspaper design. Amanda lives in Mansfield, Texas, with her family and has served more than 12 years representing various organizations as a public speaker and community liaison.

Articles by Amanda Kowalski

• How to manage a negative employee

  Wednesday, December 16, 2020

  You could give every employee in the office a bonus, an extra week off and a party to celebrate — but there would still be that one guy who would find a reason to complain. Almost every manager has run up against a negative employee at some point in their careers. Even the best employees can have an off day, but when someone on the team is consistently complaining, the manager needs to deal with the situation before it spreads, brings down the company morale or productivity, causes other employees to leave or damages relationships with clients. So, what do you do?

• A look at the benefits of getting an MBA

  Thursday, November 19, 2020

  In business, sometimes it’s hard to stand out from the crowd. You work hard, but so do a lot of your co-workers — and they are looking to get ahead just like you are. Maybe an extra degree will push you over the top for that promotion. According to U.S. News & World Report, the National Association of Colleges and Employers say that the average starting salary for Master of Business Administration (MBA) graduates is $79,043, more than $20,000 higher than those graduating with a bachelor’s degree in business. And it’s not just the first year that salaries are higher for MBA grads. The returns multiply over time like any good investment.

• How to keep your business and employees on track no matter who wins the election

  Wednesday, October 28, 2020

  For months, Americans have been counting down to Election Day. Now that it’s within days, it’s time to talk about the day "after" the election. Some of your employees and customers are going to be really happy, and some are not. But you still have a company to run, work to be done and products to sell. You don’t need to deal with gloating, miserable or warring workers. And what happens if there isn’t a decision on Election Day? It could take some time to count all those votes, especially if the results are close. Don't look for either of the candidates to concede, either.

• Isolation is terrible for your health. How should you keep healthy and safe during a pandemic?

  Monday, October 26, 2020

  ​People have been spending a lot of time alone during the COVID-19 pandemic, with entire countries shutting down for months. Since then, exposure to the actual virus has sent millions back into quarantine for self- or government-imposed isolation. And the second wave may be underway, health authorities warn. For some people, being alone is a dream come true or not that much different than their normal routine. But for most, self-isolation has been a shocking new reality and, in some cases, has led to depression and suicide. Even before the pandemic hit, researchers knew that loneliness and social isolation were serious health threats.

• How to advertise your small business inexpensively

  Wednesday, October 21, 2020

  Getting the word out about your business can be the most frustrating thing a small business owner faces. If you build the world’s greatest mouse trap, but nobody knows about it, you aren’t going to sell any. With a small business’ limited budget, how can you spread the word? In the 21st century, there are myriad free or inexpensive ways to advertise.

• Everybody’s getting their temperature taken, but why is nobody’s actually 98.6 degrees?

  Friday, October 16, 2020

  You get your temperature taken at the doctor’s office, at your hairdresser, nail salon and even before you can watch a high school football game. In the months since the outbreak of COVID-19, you’ve probably had your temperature taken more than all the years of your life before this — combined. And you might have noticed something — you’re not normal. When it comes to body temperature, normal temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit or 37 degrees Celsius. Chances are you aren’t, though, are you? Well, don’t worry, nobody else is either.

• How to choose a health insurance plan for a small business

  Monday, October 12, 2020

  Running a small business has a lot of demands, including everything from perfecting your products to fixing an overflowing toilet. But one of the trickiest parts can be finding the right health insurance for you and your employees. Under the Affordable Care Act, companies with 50 or more full-time employees or the equivalent in part-time employees have to provide health insurance to employees and their dependents or pay a fine. Smaller businesses with fewer employees, however, are exempt. So, should your small business provide insurance? That depends on several factors.

• A look at how different home security systems work and how they help the police

  Wednesday, October 07, 2020

  Whether you just bought a new house or are seeing some things in your neighborhood that make you uncomfortable, you are now shopping for a home security system. So, what kind should you get — company-monitored or self-monitored? And do they really help the police? First, how much is it going to cost? About $400 for the equipment, and, if you choose professionally monitored, between $10 and $50 a month. But that’s negligible compared to what you could lose.

• Want to fly and stay safe? Here’s what you need to know

  Wednesday, September 30, 2020

  Since the COVID-19 pandemic spread around the world, people have figured out ways to conduct business and family reunions without getting on an airplane. But sometimes you have to go. So how do you stay safe on a plane? The Centers for Disease Control says there isn't much likelihood of getting COVID-19 on a plane because of the way air is filtered and circulates, but airplane seating makes social distancing difficult. Still need to go? If you are clear for takeoff, make sure you pack correctly.

• Be kind to yourself — you’ll be healthier for it

  Thursday, September 24, 2020

  You forgot your mom's birthday, you blew the presentation at work and you haven't worked out in a month — so you beat yourself up. If your best friend told you any of these things, you would talk them through it and make them feel better. Why is it so easy to be kind to your friends and even strangers, but so difficult to give yourself a break? A study published by Clinical Psychological Science shows that people who talked to themselves in a positive tone had lower heart rates and lower sweat response, which switches off the body's threat response and can lower the risk of disease.

• How are educators coping with various teaching methods this school year?

  Monday, September 21, 2020

  COVID-19 has left school districts scrambling to provide education and keep kids safe since March. The worldwide pandemic shut down in-person classes for the end of the 2019-2020 school year, and districts worked all summer to come up with a plan for 2020-21. Those plans have varied from district to district and state to state, ranging from all virtual to all in-person and a combination of the two. But which is better? What are the differences? And what do the teachers think?

• How school resource officers can help ensure student safety during the pandemic

  Friday, August 28, 2020

  School resource officers are often the calm in the middle of daily educational chaos. During a worldwide pandemic, these officers’ jobs have changed dramatically, but they can still bring some sense of normalcy to their students and school staff while fighting crime and COVID-19 — in new ways.

• Phoning it in: How to nail a video job interview

  Monday, August 24, 2020

  So many things have changed during the current worldwide pandemic, including interviewing for a new job, often done via video these days. How can you put your best foot forward without setting foot in the office? Whether you’re the interviewer looking for the ideal candidate or the interviewee looking for a new employer, there are definitely some things that you can do to zoom in the right impression.

• How to sit and set up your workspace without getting tied up in knots

  Monday, August 17, 2020

  The worldwide pandemic has left a lot of office and school buildings empty and thousands of people figuring out how to set up workspaces and classrooms at home, using mostly what they have around the house. For some, it’s a kid's school desk and chair, a fat recliner, a little-used antique secretary and an equally old rolling chair or even the kitchen table — none designed for eight hours of sitting. So how should you set up a workstation or classroom so you and your kid don't end up looking and feeling like pretzels?

• Eating disorders: How teachers and coaches can help

  Tuesday, April 28, 2015

  She runs three miles every day, but she always seems to be on a diet. He doesn't hang out with his friends as much because he has to work out. She seems thin to everyone else, but says she's fat. Half a million American teens between age 13 and 18 struggle with some sort of eating disorder. The results can be serious, ranging from tooth decay and fatigue to high blood pressure and even death, according to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA).

• How can coaches assure parents that football is safe for teens?

  Tuesday, April 07, 2015

  In March, San Francisco 49ers linebacker Chris Borland announced his retirement after one year in the NFL, citing concerns about concussions and head trauma. President Barack Obama and NFL Hall of Fame inductee Brett Favre have even admitted that if they had sons, they probably wouldn't want them to play football. So if a 247-pound linebacker, a legendary NFL quarterback and the president of the United States are worried about safety, how do you convince the parent of a 16-year-old that it's safe for their child to put on the pads?