Update
After a lot of feedback from you guys I've decided to play from the perspective that I'm playing a completely different genre of games.
I just attack all the side mission on the map and the main objectives. I'm not wasting my time searching for precursor orbs though.
I'm avoiding confrontation with patrol and I'm not using vehicles (when possible). The lack of checkpoints are really not that bad (yet) but racing missions still drive me up the wall.
I think I can get through this.
I am the black sheep "of course I'm crazy, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong."-Robert Anton Wilson