1. Close the door and clear your mind of minute-to-minute thoughts.

2. Stretch and relax.

3. Focus on one issue you want to consider.

4. Look at the issue from more than one perspective. (Your employee's? Your customer's? Your bosses? Your competitor's?)

5. Do not expect immediate answers.

6. Continue to mull over possible solutions. (This is called ruminative thinking, a technique favored by comic philosopher-performer John Cleese.)