I just try and do better each time I run a game. I think about what worked or didn’t after each session and if it was in my control to improve it. I also except that sometimes I or even the group can have an off night.

The biggest thing I try to focus on and improve is keeping people in the moment. For me, I find that’s the most important aspect. If you keep everyone in the moment then the downtime, outside chatter and general rules issues greatly diminish.

I don’t know if home games or pick-up games are worse for this. In home games we are all friends so we are there as much to catch up as to play and conversations will happen around the game. In pick up games people are usually there to play the game. But when you have a bunch of strangers you haven’t figured out yet I find it takes a while to kick in the groove to see what engages them to get them in the moment.

In either case I accept that the best I can ever maintain focus is probably 75% of the time. It’s when you have those off games where it’s less than 50% I really try and figure out where things went off track and consciously what I can do better next time.