Your decision tree

Ok, computers usually work with a decision tree, meaning they evaluate different moves and the responses to them one at a time for each possible move on the board whereas humans tend to focus in straight away on a smaller number of move candidates.

I would like to know if anyone has any good advice for the subsequent analysis.

For example, I look at a position in the middlegame and I see 3 potential moves. Assuming I'm playing with a time control, I give them a quick ranking of which I think is the best, 2nd and worst. I look at the worst one first, thinking I can eliminate it quickly. But maybe it's not so bad and I spend longer thinking than I expected thinking about it so I put it aside and look at the 2nd best move. After a little while I realise it's a blunder. Then I realise I'm short on time and make the "best" move chosen earlier without analysing it...

This is obviously a sub-optimal strategy, does anybody have a better one?

Tactics training doesn't necessarily help in this case because they usually have one move far better than all alternatives, whereas the positions I find tricky have a few options, one of which marginally better than the others.

And a linked question - do you have a rule of thumb for how long per move you limit yourself to in 5 minute, 10 minute, 1 hour etc. games?

Decide on what part of the board to play on.

Find candidate moves/Forcing Moves.

Calcuate them out as far as i can.

After a piece, or pawn has moved.  Make new game plan.