It doesn't feel like my look-ahead is getting any better. What can I do to improve it faster?

[AronYstad]

I'm trying to practise look-ahead on 3x3 as efficiently as I can, but it feels like I'm doing something wrong, since I'm not seeing much improvement. Back in February, I was averaging around 17 seconds, and now around 15 seconds, and I think most of that comes from learning full OLL, not better look-ahead, even though I've been trying to practise look-ahead the entire time. I tried slowing down my solves, which did allow me to solve with less pausing. I heard that if you practise slow solves enough, the speed you consider to be slow increases, but I just haven't seen that happening. Lately, I've also been trying to memorize where pieces go during different F2L cases, but it just doesn't stick. Also, I've tried planning the first pair during inspection, but no matter how much I try to do that, I keep making mistakes, and it doesn't seem to be getting any less mentally exhausting. I know that I have the ability to learn, and that the tips I mentioned have worked for others, but I guess I'm still practising wrong somehow. Does anyone know what I could be doing wrong? I would really like to be better than 15 seconds after practising cubing for over 3 years in total.

TL;DR: I tried the common tricks for improving look-ahead, but I haven't noticed any improvement. What am I doing wrong?

 

[GloopyGum]

Make an effort to always look away from the pair you're solving. Try to get to the point where you can see an F2L pair and solve it with almost no mental effort. That will allow you to put your mental energy to finding new pieces.
It's also a good idea to look away from the cross when you're solving it.

Also, turn confidently

 

[OreKehStrah]

Well, step one is stop doing slow solves. Those are most helpful for when you are trying to implement new things you’ve learned into your solves.

What you want to do is untimed solves so you can focus purely on practice and learning. Having a timer at all is an unnecessary distraction. Focus on making good pair decisions, paying attention to the EO of F2L edges, etc. Look at pair cases and stop to see if you know how to solve it without doing the moves. If you do, then try to figure out what pieces are safe from the solution. Part of look ahead is knowing where to look, not just not looking at what you are solving. For example, if you are solving your first pair and the solution only uses RU moves, it can’t affect the pieces in the FL and BL slots, so while you do the pair, look at those left slots and the U layer to check for pieces for your next pair. Knowing what pieces either don’t change or don’t move much because of a solution or movegroup is something I don’t see people talk about enough.