What chess habit improved your game more than you expected?

Not necessarily the thing that improved your rating the most — just something you started doing that ended up helping way more than you expected.

Could be analyzing your losses, playing longer time controls, puzzles, studying openings less, playing OTB, taking breaks, whatever.

What was yours?

Taking time off.

Solving lots of easy puzzles and in particular lichess puzzle streak.

watching YouTube videos instead of playing

Looking at the board instead of trying (and failing) to play decent chess blindfolded.

Puzzle Racer.

Blunder checking.

@fallboss007 said ^

watching YouTube videos instead of playing

Is that a joke?

1. Thinking about my opponent's play - what does he want to do, how to restrict his play.
2. Learning mating patterns.

Example:

In this game, my game wasn't good, but I knew that once there were pawn engagements, the opponent would automatically capture; otherwise, "God forbid", I would be the 1st to capture.

Also, after 9...h5, he had to play 10.g4-g5, allowing 10...Bf5.