What do I do when my to-do list is too long to start?

When your list is too long to start, shrink the decision to one physical action: pick a single small task, set a ten minute timer, and do only that. Paralysis comes from choosing among too many options, so remove the choice entirely. Next, triage the rest in under five minutes: delete anything older than a month that still has not mattered, defer what is not truly yours this week, and mark just three items as today's real work. Everything else goes to a someday list out of sight, not deleted, just invisible. Then start the timer before motivation arrives, because action creates motivation rather than waiting for it. If even triaging feels impossible tomorrow, repeat the same three item rule; a system you can run on your worst day is the one that lasts.