some ideas

Lately I have been playing a little better. This is what has been working for me. It might work for other people more or less in the same age and rating group. I hope I don't sound too pedantic but I did used to be a teacher:

1. Motivation: Your whole life doesn't have to revolve around chess, but you have to have the motivation to put the necessary thought into each move, and you need to know what the motivation is.

2. Assumptions: Expressions like "the position plays itself" or the "move is obvious" may make sense for a grandmaster writing a book. The average player would be better off thinking more. I like what Fischer said better: "If you see a good move, look for a better move".

3. Mistakes: As much as some hate to acknowledge it, that is what the game is about. If someone is 400 points above you, they are unlikely to make a mistake that will let you win. If someone is 400 points below you, you still have to watch out. This is especially true if your opponent is a kid who started recently or who doesn't play otb often. Adults don't improve as fast and so tend to have more accurate ratings. Even if your opponent is accurately rated, you can make it easy for them by not playing your very best. If someone has a similar rating to you, yes, the game could be a battle of knowledge, but it is even more likely to be a contest of who blunders first. So you have to keep your focus and calculate more than they do.

4. Style: I find it very helpful to give alot of thought, especially at the beginning of the game, as to how I like to win games, and what kind of positions I like. It isn't always helpful to try to think about what some particular grandmaster would do or what a computer would do. I would say first think about the facts and logic of the particular position. Then if there is more than one good move, play the one you are most comfortable one rather than the one that is objectively best.

Please do post, what works for you or what doesn't work for you.