I get 0 done without lists. People laugh about my lists, because every tiny detail has to be on it. So let's say I'm in the situation you described, and it's 10:30 am. What I'd tell myself is: There isn't even a list, so let's make a list, and if it's the last thing I'll do before lunch.

The list is quite often as detailed as:

decide which task / ticket to work on
- ask coworker for advice what is suitable
assign myself to the task
read the task start to end
understand the task
reproduce the problem (if it's like a bug that needs fixing) ... and so on

Then, even in my worst state, I can tell myself: You can check off just the next item. That's not overwhelming, that's not too much.

[–] Evilschnuff 2 points 1 week ago

Yeah I need this too! But for me a long list is in itself overwhelming. So I started to use blank cards (like those in hotels) and only put 3 todos on them with a whiteboard marker. I still have the long list somewhere on my pc but this way, I only ever see 3 calls to action. I tend to make them more specific on the card. This also comes with the satisfaction of wiping away a task when it’s done (I hate a long list with striked through tasks, because I have to scan to find the remaining ones).