How to keep an eye contact without creeping people out?

I think it would be weird if the whole duration of the conversation you are going to look intently at a person's eye. Regardless the closeness, there should be pauses in between the staring. I work as a presenter and we're told to keep eye contact but not with the same people or not for a long time. We were even taught to just look at people in between the eyes so that they'd feel that we're looking at their eyes. Anyhow, for personal face-to-face, it's good to maintain eye contact but there should be pauses. Like go from one eye to the other and not the same eye the whole time. Perhaps you should look towards something else where stressing a point because no matter how close you'd be, it would be weird to be stared at. Unless of course, you two are talking about something intimate and important. I have no problems being talked to and stared at straight in the eye but I don't maintain it for long periods of time. I usually would go from the eye to the other then to the mouth. Then the laughter when something is funny would also break the 'staring'. Hehehe.. Though, I have met few people who could surely stare the whole time - if that is done by a stranger to you, you should lose that eye contact - my mom used to tell me that people like that could easily sell you something or scam you into doing something. Have a great MyLot experience ahead!

If you have genuine interest in the person and the conversation,don't worry about the amount of eye contact..your body language should let them see how involved you are.Don't feel you have to try and force yourself to lock eyes with them throughout..it's not a staring contest! So long as you're not shuffling your feet as though you wanted to be elsewhere,fidgeting,looking at your watch or sitting there texting someone else,It'll be fine! Just go with the flow of the chat and enjoy their company..

oh well if you keep the eye contact so intent and you never really take away your eye then it would really be creepy! so i guess you must also take off the eye contact for sometime then look back..and make it just light.. not really staring in a creepy manner.

When we talk to a person, we should look at them in the eye. But not for a long time, because that would e creepy. It would be nice that once in a while we would look at other things while talking to the person, but would every now and then look at him. That way we are acknowledging that we are listening, when he talks.

Hi cheefulnuts. I also have the same problem whenever I'm engaged in a conversation. Whenever I feel that I am already staring too long at my friend's eye, I would look away. I think the previous answers here are very helpful. Multitasking is great. It helps break the ice. I usually feel awkward when I have to talk to a person face to face in a long period of time.

for me, i noticed that when i look at the person's eye in a long time or the whole time of a conversation especially if it is a long one, i can notice the person also does not feel comfortable, or maybe it just depends on the person..so i will just try to shift my gaze in another or ifferent direction for a while and then back again, i think it is better that way, it is also not good, not looking at the person's eyes..

i know someone who does that and i find it hugely annoying. i expect people to look at me when i am talking to them. if they don't look at me, i don't think they are listening. i guess this is because i have teenagers! lol!

Yes sometimes I got a similar problem. I usually look a bit to them, seldom but frequent to their face, just showing that I respect and hearing them. But when I speak, I always maintain eye connection. Just relax the eye to do eye contact, sometimes look around is still allowed. Looking people intensly sometimes make them afraid or discontent... My advice, prepare for the best face when speaking face to face, yes that's it. Just prepare your best bright face ^^ Hope it helps you

Whoah, am new here, but this discussion already got my attention. When dealing with lots of people, especially when moving often,you tend to get alot of contact with new people, who might (or might not) become new friends. Well, I got to study and practice body language techniques, so I can tell you that it is important to have constant eye contact. But that means just what I said: having constant contact; not permanent. This technique does indeed help build bonds, and helps you create quality (and desirable) social links. About being "non-creepy", as you asked, you should refine your style a little. You would be on the right track if you would start thinking more about feeling more secure during your consultings with your friends. If your attention tends to go away from the person's subject, you are better off rerouting it towards more constructive thoughts than the worries you are experiencing, like you're saying: appearing insincere/disinterested/bored. What I am saying here is that you will be more constructive in that relationship if you start thinking, in those very moments, about things you can do to feel more comfortable in maintaining the conversation. For a complete example, when I am having a conversation which begins to feel uninteresting, and the other person still wants to continue talking, I start thinking of things I could be doing to feel more comfortable while I still listen. Regularly, that means (for me, at least) sitting on a bench, starting a stroll together or going for a soda/juice/coffee - you get my drift. The word that saves the day, in one of these situations, is multitasking. Making a dull situation become pleasant - in the same time. Have fun.

Its not really a problem for me. I don't really seem to notice where i put my eyes during a conversation. When you think about it, that's when it goes all messed up. As long as I don't think about it im okay.