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When I was in school I took an advertising design class where we created entire advertisements using only pen and paper. We had computers, but we weren't allowed to turn them on. Every assignment began with a quick thumbnail sketch. Once we established the design direction we made it actual size and proceeded to trace every letter of the copy. The process was incredibly tedious, but it taught me to collect my thoughts on paper before I ever opened a computer application.
It may seem old-school, but even the most experienced designers can be limited by their computer. Paper allows for complete freedom and endless possibilities. Subtle lines and shading can be achieved in a much shorter amount of time making it easier to boil down your ideas into something excellent. This may seem like an extra step, but when faced with a quick deadline I have found it easier to sketch out several concepts and determine what will and will not work before I go to the trouble of laying it out.
So, why not give it a shot? The next time you're pressed for a quick turnaround on a design, sketch out a few ideas first. If you're not a great drawer, it may seem a little clumsy at first, but it will definitely expedite the brainstorming process.