Quick Answer

Handle strangers and side activities by protagonist. You can sample map markers when they appear, but you do not need to finish every chain immediately. Cleanup is smoother once the full map and stronger tools are available.

Activity Timing

TypeWhen To Do It
Character strangersDo a few after unlock to understand each side route
Races and flight schoolBatch after driving or flight control improves
Shooting rangeClean up once more weapons are available
Random eventsDo them naturally; avoid forcing spawns early
100% activitiesPair with post-story collectible cleanup

Map Cleanup Method

Use both character and region. Pick one protagonist, clear nearby strangers, activities, and collectibles, then move to another region instead of swapping constantly.