After over three cumulative years in the air and still thumping it in occasionally, I agree that it is a subject for discussion but there seems to be no ‘one simple trick’ in this respect.
Do you look out into the distance, do you look out to the side, do you look at the aiming point? I would suggest the answer probably lies close to the answer to: do you look at the ASI, altimeter or A/H when you’re instrument flying...?