Making eye contact sounds easy but it really does not. Surprisingly, not many people know how to make eye contact properly in communicating. In order to become a better communicator, not only should you learn some communicating skills, but also learn to practice making eye contact in order to give the right impressions to the other person.
In the previous article, we have introduced you some crucial tips on how to make eye contact, now we go into more details about eye contact – the topic named “how to look people in the eye”. So, if you want to be a master in making eye contact, then do not skip reading this entry – made by WikiYeah!
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How To Look People In The Eye – 7 Simple But Important Tricks
1. Address Them By Name
When it comes to tips on how to look people in the eye, this sounds irrelevant too much, but it should be the first tip as it will help create a good first impression in the conversation. People love to be called by their name. So, while communicating and making eye contact, try to call the other person by their name.
2. Relax And Practice More
If you want to know how to look people in the eye properly, you need to relax yourself as much as possible. Similar to anything else, if you think about what you are doing too much, you will become more self-conscious and feel awkward more. Then, your nervousness could be misinterpreted as something else that is negative, like dishonesty. You will lose ground on the great progress that you have made.
Show your confidence in order to achieve the full attention of the audience. Try some breathing exercises to keep your heart rate stable and let the oxygen relax yourself.
On the other hand, practice makes perfect. You know that, right? So, you should practice looking into the eye of people more. There are some ways to practice you can do at home. You could practice on the television. While watching TV, you can focus on making eye contact with the characters on the TV screen. Or, you could practice looking into your eyes in the mirror. It will not feel the same like making eye contact with other people. Spend a few minutes before or after taking shower to train yourself to make eye contact rather than averting your eyes.
MORE: how to be a better listener
3. Concentrate On One Eye
Physically, it is rather hard for you to keep your own eyes locked on two eyes of the other person. So, it is better to concentrate on one eye or just on o spot of the face, instead of looking at both of the eyes at once.
If possible, move back and forth between both eyes. Focus on one eye for about 10 seconds before switching into the other.
4. Look For A Nearby Spot For Stabilize Your Gaze
For those newbies in making eye contact, one of the most significant tips on how to look people in the eye is to find something on the face of the other person to fix your own gaze. For example, you look at the bridge of his/her nose, the eyebrow, or below his/her eyes to give the illusion of eye contact, without really making eye contact. That way, the other person will not be able to find difference between the actual and fake eye contact, and you can focus on more crucial listening skills to become a good conversationalist.
