How to Be More Observant

I’ve heard it said that some people see more in a walk around the block than others see in a trip around the world. I know some people who definitely fall into one of those two categories. I kind of think I fall into both of them, depending on what’s going on in my life at the time.

I’m pretty convinced that the more observant we are, the better our relationships are. The better our career prospects are. The better and more enjoyable our life is.

The world, both the whole wide world and the world around us every day, is a fascinating place. It is full of fascinating people with fascinating stories. But only if you’re paying attention.

Making the jump from a less observant person to a more observant person is a worthy endeavor. But like all worthwhile endeavors, it requires effort and intentionality. It will require that you sharpen your awareness and actively pay attention to your surroundings and experiences. If you’re interested in making that jump, here are some strategies to help you get there.

1. Practice Mindfulness

• Be Present: Focus on the present moment instead of letting your mind wander. Whether you’re walking down the street, having a conversation, or observing a scene, pay attention to details without distractions.

• Engage Your Senses: Use all five senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch) to fully experience your environment. Being mindful of small sensory details can boost your observation skills.

2. Slow Down

• Take Your Time: Rushing can make you miss important details. When observing something or someone, slow down to carefully examine what is happening or what you are seeing.

• Pause and Reflect: After you observe something, take a moment to reflect on it. What did you notice? Was there something surprising? This helps reinforce what you’ve observed.

3. Ask Questions

• Be Curious: Curiosity drives observation. Ask questions about your environment or the situation you’re in. Why is something happening? How does something work? What are the patterns you see?

• Challenge Assumptions: Don’t just take things at face value. Ask yourself whether there might be more than meets the eye, and probe deeper into what is in front of you.

4. Write it Down

• Write Down Observations: Regularly jot down things you notice. Whether it’s something you saw during a walk, a change in someone’s behavior, or an interesting pattern, writing about it will help you remember details and develop your observation skills.

• Sketch What You See: Even if you’re not a skilled artist, drawing something forces you to observe the details carefully.

5. Focus on Small Details

• Notice Minor Changes: Pay attention to small or subtle details that are often overlooked, such as facial expressions, body language, changes in tone of voice, or slight shifts in a familiar environment.

• Break Things Down: Instead of observing something as a whole, break it down into its components and focus on each part.

6. Active Listening

• Listen More Than You Speak: In conversations, focus on listening intently rather than thinking about what you will say next. Listen to the words, tone, and underlying emotions.

• Take Notes on Conversations: Mentally or physically note interesting points from conversations to later reflect on what was said and how it was communicated.

7. Engage in New Experiences

• Explore Different Environments: Put yourself in unfamiliar situations or environments. New settings force you to pay more attention since they are unfamiliar.

• Learn a New Skill: Learning something new requires careful attention to details, which can train your brain to be more observant in other areas of life.

8. Practice Regularly

• Observation Exercises: Play observation games like spotting changes in a room, looking for patterns in crowds, or identifying small differences between similar images.

• Practice Observation Challenges: Give yourself small challenges like memorizing the details of a room you’re in for just a minute and then writing down everything you remember.

By making these practices a regular part of your routine, you’ll gradually train yourself to be more observant in everyday life. If you haven’t been particularly observant in the past, I think you’ll be amazed by what you’ve been missing.

There is a good chance you may learn something new. There is a good chance you may meet someone new. There is even a good chance you’ll discover that something you knew as a “fact” wasn’t really a fact at all.

Wouldn’t that be amazing!