Eye Contact Practice

What is Eye Contact Practice?

Deliberately maintain comfortable eye contact during conversations: look at one eye for 3-5 seconds, then the other eye, then briefly away. Most people under-do eye contact out of anxiety, which signals disinterest or untrustworthiness. This simple skill dramatically improves how others perceive you.

Is there evidence for it?

How do you do Eye Contact Practice?

1. 1.The triangle technique: alternate your gaze between the person's left eye, right eye, and mouth, spending 3-5 seconds on each point. This creates natural, comfortable eye contact without staring
2. 2.When listening: maintain eye contact 60-70% of the time. When speaking: 40-50%. This ratio feels natural and signals engagement without dominance
3. 3.Practice with low-stakes interactions first: cashiers, baristas, Uber drivers. Notice how holding eye contact changes the quality of even brief exchanges
4. 4.For groups: make eye contact with one person per sentence or thought. This makes everyone feel included and makes you appear confident and commanding
5. 5.The biggest mistake: breaking eye contact by looking DOWN (signals submission/shame). Instead, break by looking to the SIDE (signals thought). Looking up (signals recall). Down = the only bad direction

How long does it take?

Practice during existing conversations.

Is it hard to start?

medium.

This is one entry from the library Shift matches against. It is general information, not advice about you, and nothing on this page came from anyone's conversation.