Use the Applications Settings to find whats using the most memory and try to find the lightest programs you can to replace them. Like for my Optimus M, I used Zeam for the Launcher (SUPER light weight), FriendCaster for Facebook (WAY lighter then the factory facebook app, if you dont use Swype, then use Rom Toolbox to back it up and uninstall it, keep your GPS antenna off and use Google Maps new feature to download a large map of the area that you live in so it wont try and cache tiles for where you are. And make sure you dont have multiple apps that do the same things (like gemini and rom toolbox), try to find utility apps that combine features (like Rom Toolbox) and uninstall the ones that they replace (again, with Rom Toolbox you dont need another root browser, app manager, ad blocking program, apps2sd program, cpu control program, SD boost program, etc). And I like Sense Analog Clock Widget, its a clock, system information, and weather widget all in one, runs really light (for everything it does) and it looks damn cool.
Try and use apps that actually CLOSE when you close them, like for a browser, I use Dolphin, and when you exit it, not only does it let you clear your history and cache (which arent all that important usually but its handy) but it actually EXITS and doesnt stay running. The only apps you really need running all the time are the actual system components, and apps that notify you in real time (like SMS, Facebook, email, etc)
Use Rom Toolbox to do some tweaking, look up build.prop tweaks and use some of them (ESPECIALLY JIT, its free performance), enable NOOP scheduler under kernel tweaks, try and use more aggressive settings for the auto memory manager (dont use any of the premades in Rom Toolbox as I have a feeling they were made for devices for 512Mb devices and not the 1024 of the connect), just try like a 10-20% increase in the limits for everything but play around with them to see what gives you the best results. If your not overclocked, you can still use Rom Toolbox to set profiles and the governor for your CPU. When your using the phone (so if you make a profile for "screen on" or if you just dont use profiles) your probably gonna want to use the SmartassV2 governor, its the most responsive and performance oriented that still gives you decent battery life, ondemand is a little less performance oriented but it gives better battery life (it scales the cpu speed more gradually and conservatively). A good set of profiles would be one for "screen on" with a minimum CPU speed of like 600 or so and a max of 1200 or more if your overclocking set on SmartassV2 governor, and one for "screen off" with a minimum of 432 and a max of 500-600 set on ondemand or conservative governors.
And lastly I would use Google to look up some more performance tweaks. Theres PLENTY of guides going around on this forum, XDAs forum and some others. Play around, theyll almost always warn you when something has a risk of damaging your phone (which is usually never permanent), and as long as you have a nandroid backup you can always flash that if you mess something up.
