Improve your problem solving & analytical skills

Q. How does someone improve their problem solving & analytical skills?

There are probably an infinite number of ways that will work, let me list down a few that have worked for me.

1. Define and redefine the problem statement till you are 100% convinced that "this" is indeed the problem.
2. Focus on the problem when you are in the most relaxed state of mind (alpha state).
3. Who are you most inspired by, living or dead? How would he/she have fixed this problem?
4. Play a lot of chess.
5. Imagine the worst possible outcome and see that you solutions are not that bad after all. i.e. weed out the fear of failure first.
6. Use the 'Six Thinking Hats' approach.
7. Take on projects / jobs that push you out of your comfort zone.
8. Pick problems to resolve that you are disconnected from.
9. If you have hit a saturation point without a solution, just move on to a totally disconnected topic.
10. Watch TV shows where participants are debating over problems, try answering tricky questions as if you were in the participant's shoes.
11. Meditate.
12. Write down the problem you are trying to solve and then a list of possible solutions with paper and pen / pencil.
13. Ask someone who you think is better than you with respect to the problem (may be your boss, your colleague, a relative, college prof., etc.) for solutions. Do this even if you may have resolved the problem.
14. Take short breaks between intense work sessions.
15. If you catch yourself not having smiled for a few hours do what you can to change that, a hearty laugh at least once a day is important.

let me know if any of these were particularly helpful.

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