The only thing you can really do is keep on playing and develop your own sense of strategy. What I usually do in the early levels is try and save the power orbs. When it gets to the point where the time is very limited, I usually sit right next to one, wait for the ghost to come to me, and then show them who's boss.

Of course this I've only really played Ms. Pacman, but I'm sure the strategy is the same.