The white board’s value as a brainstorming and problem solving tool shouldn’t be overlooked. Here are some ideas on how to acquire one cheaply and how to get the most from yours:

A Frugal Option

If you don’t have one already, and you’re willing to do a minimal amount of extra work, I’d recommend opting for a melamine board instead of something from the local office supply store. These are thin boards with a white laminant that works well as a dry erase surface. I got mine for under $20 at the local Home Depot where they also cut it to size for me. The instructions I used: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Your-Own-White-Board-(Dry-Erase-Board)

Keep It Clean

I like to clean mine after every session so there’s never an excuse not to use it. The point of the whiteboard is the impermanence of what’s drawn or written on it so clean the whole thing. Leave no diagrams, notes, lewd drawings, doodles or messages. There are better ways to preserve those things.

Save The Good Stuff

When you have something worth saving pull out the camera and snap a picture. It’s a quick and easy way to archive your work.

Try Mind Maps

Mind mapping is a brainstorming technique that works really well on the whiteboard. It is a freeform graph/tree of ideas with the aim of fostering a pure flow of thinking. Read more from wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_map

While You’re Up

Walk around. Pace. Try walking meditation: http://www.wildmind.org/walking/overview. These are all great ways to give your brain the resources it needs to do its stuff.