think up new things

You would take things as they came. All you had to do was think a little harder and come up with a new solution.

既来之, 则安之， 你必须多动脑子， 想出个新的解决方法来。

《新英汉大辞典》

When we don't sleep, a recent study found, proteins build up on synapses, possibly making it hard to think and learn new things.

最近的一项研究发现，如果我们不睡觉，在神经元突触上蛋白质会有所增加，使它难于去思考问题和学习新事物。

When given a new task or assignment, the employee might say things like 'Let me see,' 'I can't do this as I'm caught up with something,' or 'I don't think it's going to work.'

当接到一项新任务或工作要求时，员工可能会说“让我先研究一下”、“我手头忙做不了”或“我觉得这么做不管用”等。