Short and sweet, don't be coerced, work the way that objectively causes you the least stress for most productivity. A big component of getting the best results from your time is confidence and feeling "in the groove". Creative momentum is satisfying and addictive, good results encourage progress that yields longer and longer inspirational spurts. To this end, my recommendation is to nail down your "best practice" by experimenting. If you've never outlined, try it for a smaller project. If you've never done a narrative via discovery, try it in a low pressure project.
While style isn't really a part of process, it does AFFECT process. If you've only ever done one particular viewpoint. Changing it up can make you work differently. The key thing is to not only to challenge yourself, but to explore and expand your understanding of how different literature is implemented. Crossing over between fiction genres and between fiction and non-fiction are great ways to stretch. The more you know about writing and understanding narrative at the component and thematic level, it helps you navigate critically rather than instinctively.
Do your thing but take time to joyride in style and genre. Never underestimate how much energy can be created by trying out different voices, genres and other literary implementations. You don't really know your best process until you've experimented a little.