D&D 5E The DM's Helper...all the twists and cul-de-sacs of a DM's mind.

[redrick]

If you have a game store in your area that does organized play, try going for a few nights. I did this about 6 months ago, and it was hugely beneficial for my own DM'ing. Many of the DM's at these stores have a lot of experience, and you often play with a different DM each night (if the store has multiple tables), so you really get to see how each DM handles similar situations.

I don't go regularly, because I'd rather commit that time to a home game, but it's a super valuable experience from time to time.

 

[Uchawi]

I would map the players behaviors based on repeated behavior or group actions, then add something to challenge those expectations. For example, using the 4E DM guide (I have not purchased the 5E equivalent) there are some example player types presented. Once you have a good understanding of those player types, add in some challenges to counter their strengths. You could do the same thing based on the classes or races selected. The benefit is it ties in to the players or characters.