Best way to improve your game?

I feel like I’m pretty stuck. I’ve spent time reading books, solving chess puzzles, playing, taking advantage of a lot of the resources on chess.com but there’s something that isn’t clicking in my head. Perhaps These methods aren’t working? For puzzles, I feel like they are a moment-to-moment exercise; meaning, I can solve them but I don’t know if I get a lot of practical use for my game. The books I’ve read have been interesting but in general, books tend to get very “mechanical” I need to learn how to *think* during a game and I’m not sure what tools are out there to help me dig into this aspect of improving my game. Any recommendations?

I actually instantly regret posting this since there are a TON of old posts in the forums on this matter. Ignore me.

It's good to analyze your own games and learn from them. You can also do engine analysis, but it is important to not trust the engine too much. You play a lot of blitz, which is fun, but you make bad habits. I would suggest you play more daily chess. 

You can also look at top grandmaster games and see what type of moves they play and analyze them. 

Anyway, let's take your latest loss. I won't point out all your tactical mistakes, and I will only annotate your moves.

I noticed you hang a lot of pieces. As I said, make sure to look at the whole board before making a move and be vigilant to your opponent's threats. This is the advantage of daily chess - you have lots of time to think and make sure you're not hanging any pieces.

Here is another game:

I notice that you let your opponent pin your knight to your Queen and that you didn't take any measures to get out of the pin. When one of your pieces is pinned, you want to break the pin as soon as possible. 

Here is a video by ChessNetwork that further explains the power of the pin and what you can do to counter it. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=851pCMJv2Sg

"... If it’s instruction, you look for an author that addresses players at your level (buying something that’s too advanced won’t help you at all). This means that a classic book that is revered by many people might not be useful for you. ..." - IM Jeremy Silman (2015)
https://www.chess.com/article/view/the-best-chess-books-ever
Here are some reading possibilities that I often mention:
Simple Attacking Plans by Fred Wilson (2012)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708090402/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review874.pdf
http://dev.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Simple-Attacking-Plans-77p3731.htm
Logical Chess: Move by Move by Irving Chernev (1957)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708104437/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/logichess.pdf
The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played by Irving Chernev (1965)
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/most-instructive-games-of-chess-ever-played/
Winning Chess by Irving Chernev and Fred Reinfeld (1948)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708093415/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review919.pdf
Back to Basics: Tactics by Dan Heisman (2007)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708233537/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review585.pdf
https://www.chess.com/article/view/book-review-back-to-basics-tactics
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5856bd64ff7c50433c3803db/t/5895fc0ca5790af7895297e4/1486224396755/btbtactics2excerpt.pdf
Discovering Chess Openings by GM John Emms (2006)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627114655/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen91.pdf
Openings for Amateurs by Pete Tamburro (2014)
http://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/2014/05/review-of-pete-tamburros-openings-for.html
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/openings-for-amateurs/
https://www.mongoosepress.com/catalog/excerpts/openings_amateurs.pdf
Chess Endgames for Kids by Karsten Müller (2015)
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/chess-endgames-for-kids/
http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/Chess_Endgames_for_Kids.pdf
A Guide to Chess Improvement by Dan Heisman (2010)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708105628/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review781.pdf
Studying Chess Made Easy by Andrew Soltis (2009)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708090448/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review750.pdf
Seirawan stuff:
http://seagaard.dk/review/eng/bo_beginner/ev_winning_chess.asp?KATID=BO&ID=BO-Beginner
http://www.nystar.com/tamarkin/review1.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627132508/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen173.pdf
https://www.chess.com/article/view/book-review-winning-chess-endings
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708092617/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review560.pdf

"... Sure, fast games are fine for practicing openings (not the most important part of the game for most players) and possibly developing decent board vision and tactical 'shots', but the kind of thinking it takes to plan, evaluate, play long endgames, and find deep combinations is just not possible in quick chess. … for serious improvement ... consistently play many slow games to practice good thinking habits. ... I know that a large percentage of my readers almost exclusively play on the internet - after all, you are reading this on the internet, right!? But there is a strong case for at least augmenting internet play with some OTB play, whether in a club or, better yet, a tournament. ... I would guess that players who have never played OTB usually gain 50-100 points of playing strength just from competing in their first long weekend tournament, assuming they play five or more rounds of very slow chess. ... Don't have two day? Try a one-day quad (a round-robin among four similarly rated players). … about 100 slow games a year is a reasonable foundation for ongoing improvement. ... Can't make 100? Then try for 60. If you only play three or fewer tournaments a year and do not play slow chess regularly at a club (or on-line, where G/90 and slower play is relatively rare), then do not be surprised that you are not really improving. ..." - NM Dan Heisman (2002)

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627052239/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman16.pdf

You need to spend more time on analysis, better with no computer. That is the best, classical, most traditional way of improvement used by all serious players. Not just solving puzzles or reading books.

Wow I appreciate the great feedback! That book list is awesome and I loved the suggestions on game analysis! Cricket - thanks for the quick once over of my games. It’s weird, at my level a lot of matches the players have some weird and erratic openings that throw off my game. Not making excuses but it blindsides me sometimes.
OTB is tough for me. I have to go across town to get it my chess club. I’m trying to make it a habit. I do indeed miss using real pieces. I have a few different chess computers. My latest is a dgt centaur which seems the most modern in terms of the engine. I also have my own MasterPiece chess pieces that can help me visualize my games better.

In the end, I think it’s about the post analysis and making good strategic thinking habits in game.

May the chess be with you.

If your opponent plays irregular openings, usually they are trying to throw you off. Don't forget the opening principles though. 

(Courtesy of @IMBacon):

Opening Principles:

1. Control the center squares – d4-e4-d5-e5

2. Develop your minor pieces toward the center – piece activity is the key

3. Castle

4. Connect your rooks

Finally, here is a video from ChessNetwork on how to play the opening. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOjzvVVrxWw

Eat more bacon. Yum!

just use a chess engine. Thats what I do to play against stronger players.

the best way to improve is to play classical time controls against better players

Here's a suggestion nobody has offered. Play yourself. That's how Bobby Fischer started as well as the greatest chess player in the world, AlphaZero. 

Play a lot

Play each move with a reason in mind. Lay one brick perfectly and one at a time. Strive to win. Winning is amazing

Another suggestion which I have found quite useful is having someone to help you one on one. Obviously someone better than yourself who can teach you more than you already know. 

You must leave the books behind, get out of your room and approach women. The more women you interact with, the more skill and confidence you will develop. This is how you improve your game.

Study master games.

Think

If you've tried everything else, try watching GM tournament commentary on YouTube.  I've learned some valuable lessons by watching guys like Yasser Seirawan and Danny Rensch analyze the games of the top GM's.   You'll probably have to be around a 1700 or higher player to get a lot out of it though.  Before I broke the 1600 barrier, I couldn't understand a lot of the GM moves.   Now I do, so I watch every big tournament that has good commentary.  

I totally agree with Hammer.  Playing blitz and bullet will not improve your game.  Play daily games and analyze each one with Stockfish, after it's over.   Also, try a regimen of 80-90% study and only 10-20% playing.   There are tons of video lessons on YouTube that you haven't watched yet.   I highly suggest watching Yasser Seirawan and Danny Rensch videos.