I think that I've got a kind of built in ability to frequently miss the point ! My attitude - forgive the pun - towards a/p's is that if the a/c has one then it might as well be used. It will fly the a/c much more precisely than any hand.
I fail to see any virtue in long spells of hand flying. Occasionally yes, to keep in good currency and practice. Of all the time spent aloft buried in clag, if 80% or thereabouts is spent on a/p and around 20% is given over to manual control, this I would have thought gives about the right balance for most.
I understand that my comments re the a/p have relevance only for the few GA a/c equipped with such and for those who frequently fly in marginal conditions.