Walking up from the ball to the hole to get a sense for how the green breaks, helps in deciding where to aim.  Pay attention to where you want the shot to land.  Is the green soft or firm.  Will it kick left or right?  Am I chipping/pitching into the grain or down grain?  Try and find a spot to land the ball that is relatively flat and predictable.  Once you have your aim and distance, go into pre-shot routine mode.

Have your practice swings while visualizing the actual flight of the shot.  If it is a chip shot picture the ball hitting and rolling up to the hole.  If it’s a pitch shot visualize the flight onto the green and roll out.   Make your practice swings relevant to the shot to create a feel for how hard to swing on your shot.  Then implement a purposeful pre shot routine.

Source The Art of the Short Game Stan Utley