I try to do a long rest per "chapter" if that makes sense because it makes the game feel more immersive. When I wake up from the beach I don't allow myself to long rest until I have all four of my companions + meeting Withers. Then, after that, I don't allow myself to take my next long rest until I do all the stuff I can do in the Grove(fighting off goblin raid, harpy fight, meeting Nettie/talking to Kahga).
Next is one long rest for the entirety of the blighted village(minus the spiders, I normally skip that)
Then one long rest for the entirety of three gnoll encounters + Karlach plotline
Then one long rest for Auntie Ethel's plotline(once I fight the redcaps I'm not allowed to long rest until Auntie Ethel is dead/Mayrina's plot is resolved)
One long rest for Waukeen's rest(fire rescue + zhet hideout)
Githyanki patrol wipes me out in one go so that's a chapter by itself lmao.
One long rest before entering the goblin camp(meaning no long rests between fighting the three goblin bosses)
And so on. Playing this way makes the game a bit more challenging as well. Though sometimes I do make a party that doesn't need long rests(I once played an archer Ranger with Laezel, Astarion, and Wyll, and it was nice not having to really worry about spell slots)
Anyway game doesn't really like this because I miss a lot of important follower cutscenes when I long rest because so much stuff happens and the cutscene triggers compete with each other.
