An expedition is a budget, not a checklist
Each day gives you limited time and a map full of candidates. The skill is deciding which targets actually serve your build, then going straight to them.
Aimless wandering is not neutral here. It costs the same time as productive clearing, so every wrong turn is a real loss.
Plan before you move
Pick your objectives at the start of the day and commit. Mid-run indecision costs more than a slightly imperfect plan, because hesitation compounds across the whole expedition.
Ask what your build needs right now. If the answer is damage, go to targets that pay damage, not whatever happens to be closest.
Respect the closing Night
The safe area shrinks as the run advances. Working with it means choosing objectives that sit inside where you can still operate.
Teams that ignore it end up running through heavy areas at the worst moment, and usually arrive at the Nightlord short on everything.
Target selection under pressure
Not every target is worth your remaining time. A hard objective with a modest reward may cost more than the upgrade it gives you.
Judge targets by time-to-clear against what they pay. A quick, average reward often beats a slow, excellent one.
Consolidate between days
Use the breaks to consolidate what you have. Check your relics, check consumables, and decide what the next day has to accomplish for you to be ready for the Nightlord.
Most losing runs were lost during the day, not during the final fight.