Does anyone else feel like literature reviews take more energy than writing the paper itself?

I’ve realized that writing the actual argument of my paper feels easier than building the literature foundation behind it. The constant cycle of searching, screening abstracts, reading introductions, checking citations, and trying to map theoretical positions is mentally exhausting. It’s not that the material is difficult it’s the volume and repetition. I’m trying to find ways to streamline the process without sacrificing quality. For those who’ve recently completed a thesis or journal submission, what made the literature review stage manageable for you? Did you create a structured system from day one, or did you adjust as you went?