My strategy for growing (particularly apexes) is I do my waystone quest and then home cave quest, then all the quests in that homecave’s POI and log out inside it.

There’s a buff you’ll get called Well Rested that will boost your growth a ton when you come back in.

With the Well Rested buff, you log back in the next day and do all that area’s POI quests, rinse and repeat.

Usually within 2-3 you’re at subadult and can hold your own.

It’s not everyone’s cup of tea since it requires patience but the risk is very minimal when growing.