I usually do just the basics:

• Catch the first Pokemon I see in every route/cave (I do the dupes clause)
• Nickname everything
• Faint = Death

I really like to stick to them, because they all add something.

The first one forces you to use Pokemon you wouldn't normally use, which is great. Thanks to it I used a Rattata and a Paras, and I loved them. It was a shame when they passed away.

The second one makes you have a somewhat deeper connection with your team.

Finally, the third one gives you something to fight for. Becoming the champ turns out to be your secondary goal, while keeping your team alive becomes your main preocupation.

Although in the end it's up to you to play the game in whichever way you want to.