"Maintain eye contact at all times. Never ever take your

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This is going to sound corny af but here goes; there's a natural way to stare.

Keep in mind not all people like when you stare and in some cultures it's downright offensive.

But there's a way to do it right. You look them in the eyes and sort of let your gaze flow from their. If the conversation dies there's no need to look them in the eye since now you're explicitly staring.

>>17896602
BLINK NIGGER

>>17896602

Looking someone in the eye is what you do when you're TALKING to someone. Staring is when you're not actively engaged with them and just looking at them from afar.

Every situation is a little different.

Can't generalize that, it depends a lot on context and culture.

It's best to ask a person you trust IRL to try it out and figure out at what point it turns weird.

Also, I found this paper that indicates roughly 3 seconds to be a good amount. It seems like a good amount to me, probably not creepy at that point. Do this a few times in the conversation while listening to the other person talk.

(Source: http://rsos.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/3/7/160086)

Look at their eyes when they are speaking. That's true like 99% of the time.

When there is silence feel free to look away, look at your drink, look out a window, etc. If they are doing something that they might be self conscious of such as eating or drinking themselves, don't stare at them as it makes people feel awkward.

When you're speak, also look them in the eyes. Feel free to slightly look away or turn your head, like to look out of a window, but never turn away from someone while you're speaking.

>>17896614
I already blink. What does that have to do with the difference between eye contact and staring?

>>17896633
The person who gave me that order told me to maintain eye contact from the moment I enter the room to the moment I leave, no exceptions.

>>17896640
3 seconds is not "at all times". I need to NEVER look away for any reason, but not stare. How?

>>17896669
That's definitely NOT what I was told to do. Maintain eye contact at all times but don't stare. Looking away is failure.
>Look at their eyes when they are speaking.
How do I do that without staring?
>When you're speak, also look them in the eyes.
How do I do that without staring?

You don't see the difference between looking someone in the eyes, smiling, looking relaxed and engaged in conversation - and staring blankly with no expression on your face in silence?

>>17896784
I don't see a difference between fixing my gaze on a point for a long time (eye contact) and fixing my gaze on a point for a long time (staring).
We're talking about eyes here. The rest of my face can wait until I have step 1 down.

>>17896771
You have clearly been given bad advice. Your eye movements need to give off the impression that you are a human being with a normal attention span and some degree of interest in what is going on around you.

It would be ideal for you to simply "be yourself" when it comes to eye contact, doing whatever feels natural but since you are asking here it must be that some sort of force like anxiety is affecting your behavior. Do you speak regularly with close friends or family? Try to study how you act around people who you feel like you can be yourself around and then try to apply that behavior to people you feel less comfortable with.

>>17896771
>3 seconds is not "at all times". I need to NEVER look away for any reason, but not stare. How?
That's incorrect. Looking into another persons eye for a prolonged period of time (say, longer than 8 seconds) will always be (negatively) interpreted as staring.

Whoever gave you that advice is wrong.