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Entrepreneur
14-08-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
The How-To: Staying Relevant on Social Media
The things that are effortless to start are just as effortless to abandon. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. The digital space is desperate for our attention, which is why it's full of frictionless experiences - one-click purchases, easy-to-consume videos and bite-sized content that demands almost no mental effort. The reason why it works is that our brains are wired to follow the path of least resistance. Psychologists call this a preference for cognitive fluency. Put simply, when something is easy to process, we instinctively like it more. By reducing the mental cost of interacting, these platforms lower the barrier to entry, leading to a high initial use. But here is the paradox - the things that are effortless to start are just as effortless to abandon. Hooks might be winning the battle, but not the war The social media hook is a brilliant piece of psychological engineering. It's a pattern interrupt, designed to reverse brain numbness from scrolling into paying attention. A successful hook shatters that pattern with an unusual sound, a surprising visual or a bold, curiosity-piquing statement. These tactics trigger a primal reflex that makes us pay attention. It's the modern equivalent of hearing a twig snap in the woods. Your attention is captured. It gets the view, the like, and the initial spike in metrics. But stopping the scroll is just winning the first few seconds. The real challenge is winning the next minute and earning the right to be remembered tomorrow. Relying only on hooks is like shouting in a crowded room. People will turn their heads, but they won't necessarily listen to what you have to say or care who you are. The initial engagement is driven by immediate gratification, such as a dopamine hit from the novelty or humour. But because the interaction required nothing from the viewer, it creates no lasting bond. Easy comes, easy goes When an experience requires nothing from us, it rarely leaves a mark. Several psychological principles explain why things that are too easy fail to create a meaningful connection: 1. We care more deeply about the things we've put our own effort into Also known as the "IKEA effect", named after a series of revealing experiments on valuation, in these studies, one group of people was asked to assemble their own IKEA furniture, while another was given identical, pre-assembled pieces. When asked what they'd pay, the people who built their own furniture, even if it was wobbly and imperfect, consistently valued it far more highly. The research concluded that the effort we invest in something dramatically increases our perception of its worth. Effortless engagement is the opposite of this. When we passively consume a stream of content, it requires minimal effort. We don't assemble, solve, or contribute anything. As a result, we place little to no value on the experience. 2. We have no problem quitting when there's nothing to lose The sunk cost fallacy describes our tendency to continue with something if we have already invested time, money, or effort into it, even if it's no longer the best option. This is why you might finish a terrible movie you paid for, or keep wearing uncomfortable shoes that were expensive. Frictionless engagement has no sunk cost. The cost of watching a 15-second video is virtually zero. Therefore, the cost of swiping away to the next one is also zero. There's no psychological "skin in the game" to keep you there. You feel no loss in abandoning it because you sacrificed nothing to begin with. This makes your audience incredibly susceptible to the next, newest, equally effortless distraction. 3. We crave the satisfaction that comes from a challenge While immediate rewards are nice, sustained human motivation is often fueled by a sense of progress and meaningful achievement. Think about finally mastering a difficult tune on the piano or finishing a challenging book. These activities are often difficult, and that difficulty is precisely what makes the reward so significant. Effortless content provides no sense of accomplishment. It's a flatline experience. Because it asks nothing of you. It can entertain for a short period of time, but provides little impact. 4. We judge an entire experience by its most intense moment and how it ends Our memory of an experience isn't a detailed recording but a quick mental summary, and this summary is built on just two points: the most emotionally intense moment (the peak) and the very end. We don't remember every step of a long hike - we remember the breathtaking view from the summit (the peak) and the sense of accomplishment as we finish (the end). Effortless content, by contrast, has no strong emotional anchors to hold onto. As a result, the brain doesn't bother creating a durable memory. Building a place to stay Understanding this paradox is the key to building something that lasts, whether you're a marketer, business leader, or just someone trying to make an impact. The goal is to strategically balance initial ease with opportunities for deeper, more meaningful engagement. The hook may get the first glance, but what happens next determines if you build a loyal community or just become part of the digital noise. And the initial interaction should be simple. But once a user is in, gently introduce ways for them to invest their time and energy. People may come for the content, but they stay for the connection. Foster a sense of belonging and facilitate discussions that allow audience members to interact with each other. The ultimate challenge is to guide people on a journey. The front door must be wide open and easily accessible. But a truly remarkable experience isn't just a door. It's a house with rooms to explore and people to meet. It's about moving beyond the effortless trap and creating something that people don't just see, but that they come to value.
Entrepreneur
13-08-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Human Touch Meets Neuroscience: Integrating Access Bars® as the Future of Workplace Wellness
You're reading Entrepreneur United Kingdom, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. In an era saturated with AI and digital solutions, something profound is being forgotten: the simple power of presence and human touch. Access Bars®, a gentle, hands-on wellness modality, is gaining traction as a corporate ally in nurturing employee well-being. As organizations strive to integrate high-tech solutions, Access Bars invites time to pause, receive, and experience meaningful human connection. From the moment people step into the workplace, the subtle but ceaseless hum of stress follows them. Their brains chatter and minds race, pressured by productivity demands and digital overload. Access Bars disrupts this cycle, not with another task on the to-do list, but with a deliberate invitation to rest. "It's not another item on your agenda; you simply lie back and receive the session," asserts Mia DeLuca, a Biologist and Holistic Wellness Advocate at Access Bars. "It reframes well-being as an experience, not an action." Grounded in emerging research, Access Bars is not just comforting, it's compelling. A recent live case study led by Dr. Astrid Vester, Physician and Integrative Medicine Leader, alongside DeLuca, examined real-time physiological responses to Access Bars sessions versus resting controls. In an era where burnout and mental fatigue are at an all-time high, new research finds that Access Bars sessions, the foundational technique of the Bars in Business program, can create measurable improvements in stress, physiological health, and mental clarity. These findings possibly make it a powerful tool for modern workplaces. These changes in individuals may further help restore the human element of caring for oneself and others. In office space, amid conference calls, people increasingly crave contact that's not mediated by screens. A light touch to 32 points on the head, held for 30-45 minutes, opens a gateway to deep relaxation, akin to meditation, yet effortless and accessible. "The human touch evokes trust and openness," reflects Dr. Vester. "In that tranquil space, the brain can shift, drop into coherence, and employees reset not just their stress, but their capacity for creativity." Businesses are noticing not just the experiential value but the measurable payoff. One study from Zippia reports that 72% of companies observed reduced healthcare costs after launching wellness programs, with an average ROI of 6:1, and absenteeism was reduced by up to 16%. Additionally, a whopping 87% of workers consider wellness offerings when choosing an employer. Nearly three-quarters (74%) of organizations plan to increase spending on wellness in 2025, and 80% of forward-thinking HR departments are weaving wellness into their employee value propositions. These figures illustrate a shifting mindset: wellness is not a perk, it's a strategic imperative. Pilot programs aim for the ripple effects of a session to go beyond individual relief and to inform team dynamics. One of the organizations that implemented weekly Access Bars for front-line staff noted improved decision-making, increased confidence, and a workplace atmosphere marked by mutual openness. It's not just self-care; it's collective well-being. In fast-changing corporate environments, what if inspiration and innovation were less about pushing harder and more about creating breathing room? Access Bars cultivates that, quieting the racing mind and replenishing the brain's internal capacity to think clearly, connect intuitively, and respond rather than react. Another executive from a global firm captured its value perfectly: "In changing times, programs like this are vital for retention and stress management. It improved morale, engagement, and relaxed the work environment." This type of forward-looking leadership invests in internal resilience to drive external performance. The gift of Access Bars is not about productivity at all. It's about honoring humanity. "Employees don't need another checkbox; they need a moment to just be," DeLuca emphasizes. "The human touch is countercultural in today's efficiency-obsessed world. But that's the point. Access Bars plants a seed: wellness doesn't demand action; it simply welcomes reception. When organizations acknowledge that some of the most powerful healing and innovation happen when we rest, they create a new paradigm of well-being." Integrating Access Bars into HR wellness strategies can be simple: a quiet session room, 30 minutes, and the willingness to experience the relaxation. Studies show that the return on investment for a $1 investment in wellness could mean a benefit-to-cost ratio of up to $6. That gives room for true creativity. Dr. Vester says, "Healthcare is evolving from prescribing fixes to facilitating restful presence. Access Bars embodies that shift." Furthermore, DeLuca adds, "It's not about fixing people, it's about remembering they are worthy of care simply because they are human." When human touch meets scientific curiosity, the result is more than a momentary pause; it's a reconnection to what makes work feel meaningful. For companies seeking sustainable performance, Access Bars in Business might just be the gentle change they never knew they needed.
