Stay off frozen or saturated turf

Ice crystals in the blade crush when you walk. Spring thaw then turns those paths to mud, then to dead grass. Use walks. If you must cross, vary the route.

Steps

Set a visual rule: if it crunches or squishes, go around.
Keep salt off turf and evergreen beds. Use sand near plants.
Move plow piles off the lawn as soon as they melt enough to shovel.

Tips

Dogs running the same winter path will write it in dead grass until June.