Are you "working all day" but billing zero hours? You might be falling into these common busy-work traps.
Mistake:
Refreshing the 'Most Recent' feed every 15 minutes.
The Fix:
Automated real-time alerts.
Mistake:
Searching for generic terms like 'Writer' or 'Developer'.
The Fix:
Specific boolean strings (e.g., 'Next.js AND SaaS').
Mistake:
Applying to 20 mediocre jobs hoping one sticks.
The Fix:
Wait for the 2 perfect jobs and send 2 perfect proposals.
Mistake:
Setting up an RSS reader but still checking it manually.
The Fix:
Push notifications via Discord or Slack.
Humans are terrible at monitoring data streams. We get tired, we get bored, and we miss things. Computers are built for it.
If you are manually refreshing the Upwork feed, you are effectively working for $0/hr as a "Data Entry Clerk" for your own business. Fire yourself from that role.
Every time you switch tab to check Upwork, it takes you 23 minutes to get back into deep focus on your actual work.
Do this 3 times an hour, and you never reach deep focus at all. This is why you feel exhausted at the end of the day despite accomplishing nothing.
Learn more about the mental toll in our guide to Stopping Doomscrolling.