Writing things down helps me a lot, so does making a sketch. Basically things that will lower your cognitive load, so you can use your brain on the problem. Fo

Writing things down helps me a lot, so does making a sketch. Basically things that will lower your cognitive load, so you can use your brain on the problem. For big projects, I have to write an outline. First big steps, then divide those into smaller and smaller ones. Again, always in writing. And somehow, paper and pencil works much better for me than electronic tools. If you are talking about problems like physics problems, I highly recommend Reif's book: https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/applying-cognitive-science-education https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/applying-cognitive-science-ed... and his papers on the subject (they are under "Physics Education Research"). Even if you are talking about other problems, reading these might provide some clues.