Effective problem-solving is a skill that you develop through forming habits.
This site gives some ideas on how to acquire these habits.
Effective problem-solving is a four-step process that starts with defining your problem (making sure you are not solving just a symptom or a less critical problem). Second, you need to understand the root cause(s) of your problem before you identify potential solutions. The final step is to execute the solution.
I am updating this site periodically so stay tuned for more.