If, after thoroughly immersing yourself in a problem, you find yourself stuck and unable to make progress, then it may be time to forget about it.

This is not to say you should forget about it and relax. Relaxation slows down your momentum and your mental processing.

The Secret is Not to Stop Working, but to Switch Gears and Work on Something Else

Continue working, but on a different problem. This keeps your mind active and working at full capacity. While your conscious mind is occupied with the new project, your unconscious mind will continue working on the original problem. This is when a solution often appears, seemingly out of nowhere.
– The Startup Daily

The Six Thinking Hats method, also known as parallel thinking, is an approach to idea generation and decision making that allows a group to fully explore all sides of a problem.

It is based on the premise that the mind has distinct modes of thinking, and that when you are engaged in one mode, you become desensitized and dismissive of stimuli that is better matched to one of the other modes. Mismatched stimuli lead to confusion and missed opportunities, and is often the result of team members reverting to the mode of thinking they are most comfortable with.

Parallel Thinking Minimizes Confusion and Removes Ego from the Brainstorming Process

Unlike traditional group discussions, where each member takes opposing and often argumentative positions, parallel thinking allows the group to look at each side of a problem together. The result is a more complete and balanced view of the situation, where the best solutions often become obvious to everyone without the bruised egos.

The colored hats are a metaphor. They serve as a helpful reminder of the current mode of thinking that the group is exploring together.

White Hat Objective, stick to the facts
Red Hat Emotional, intuitive
Black Hat Cautious, the devil’s advocate
Yellow Hat Optimistic, look at the bright side
Green Hat Creativity, growth, and new ideas
Blue Hat Organizing, thinking about thinking
– The Startup Daily

The more ideas you can generate, the greater your chances of finding the best solution to your problem.

A Quota Forces You to Actively Generate Ideas Instead of Waiting for Them to Occur

Setting a high quota forces everyone to get the safer ideas out early on, clearing the air for less obvious ideas.

The human mind can stretch to fill even the most ambitious quotas.

Once you have committed to a quota, stick with it, and don’t end the brainstorming session until it is met. You don’t have to stop when the quota is met if the ideas are still flowing. A quota does not prevent you from generating more ideas, but it does ensure you reach the minimum.
– The Startup Daily

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