Thinking Balls: What's your Formula

Everyone has a formula of writing don't they? Some have outlines. Others free write. I have Thinking balls. My kids and boyfriend laugh at me all the time for it. But it's true. What seems like a stress ball to most is a my thinking ball. For the past few weeks I've been pondering and looking toward my next project but nothing was coming. I had one of those playdough stress balls and it had broke. Once I bought these really cool affirmation stress balls from Amazon my creative juices started rolling again. What is your formula of writing? Do you know?