It really depends on the capacity of the practitioner.
In Tantra, we talk of Uttamadhikarin (highly qualified), Madhyamadhikarin (mid-level), and Adhamadhikarin (beginner). The path prescribed for each of these is different.
- For the highly qualified, nothing is needed. An intense Shaktipata from a capable Guru, or other forms of pointing instructions (like we say in rDzogchen) are enough to propel the aspirant into the realms of enlightened consciousness. This is where one remains in a state of just Beingness and non-doing. Such aspirants are very rare. My grandfather’s brother traveled to India long time ago and met Ramana Maharshi, and a mere touch by the great man propelled him to a state of enlightened consciousness and thereafter, he was just blissful, without thoughts and did not really care about anything!
- The mid-level aspirant has put in some work, but still needs more work to progress. These folks depend on techniques most suitable for them (In Tantra we call them Anava and Shakta upayas); Or where Gita prescribes Yogas such as Karma (work, meditation, yogic postures, service to the poor, etc.), Bhakti (devotion), and finally Jnana (Self-Inquiry, Non-doing, Pure awareness).
- The last category needs more work. Here the krama (gradual or staged) approach is to be adopted where one starts with Karma and Bhakti and works way upwards.
Gita does not really state Devotion (Bhakti which also includes different forms of Sharanagati or surrender to the Divine) to be the Superior path - everything is relative. It is superior for someone who this path is suited for and not universally.
As an Advaitin (non-dualist), I prescribe to the school of the great non-dualist Shankaracharya who notes that Enlightenment is only possible through Jnana Yoga (Pure Awareness, Self-Knowledge, Non-doing) - and lower Yogas such as Karma and Bhakti can aid lower aspirants to reach this stage; but on their own, Karma and Bhakti, while preparatory and hence beneficial, cannot directly propel one to the state of Enlightenment.
So, it is for the aspirant (or usually a competent teacher) to assess the current state of spiritual development and adopt one or more of these paths. In Tantra, there is always a mixture of the three as this benefits 99% of the people (the 1% do not need anything other than Pure Awareness that comes naturally)…The New Age non-dualist movements (think Tolle, Adyashanti, etc.) - who teach non-doing or pure awareness for all without the necessary groundwork are essentially setting up people for failure and depression.
Below is the sequence we follow in Tantra:
- Initially the aspirant is a pashu (a bound animal); instincts are basic, urges are primal, and most of the awareness is on stomach or sexual organ. For this level - strict discipline of body followed by mind, rules, practice, etc. are needed
- Next the stage of Veera or Warrior - here, there are still rules, but a sense of devotion and connectedness with the Divine occurs; so the rules and activities followed are not out of fear or imposement, but self-driven and owing to feelings of love and service
- Finally, the stage of the Divya or the ascended, where nothing needs to be done. One is already in a state of non-dual consciousness, so there is nothing to be done.
Important thing to note that stage 3 does not naturally occur for most, and we need to work through stages 1 and 2 to get to 3.
If one examines the practical schools of Daoism or Buddhism (especially Vajrayana or Tantric Buddhism schools like rDzogchen, Mahamudra, Sahajayana, etc.), the same gradual and staged approach is taught to most of the aspirants.
, it seems that things are interconnected, so I don’t think that much, mostly I just let things pass and focus on my enjoynment (being happy, relaxed and feeling good now), but I also need to become more disciplined, to continue my carefree life (invest now, reap the rewards later). 
