Couple (or four) of handy tips

Hold a piece still with the point of a BBQ skewer or anything similar (knitting needle?).  the point doesn't leave a mark and any way you can flick over it at the end.  You can shove the piece around as you need to and even shuffle it off to the drying area afterwards.

 Use a sponge brush for staining wood - instructions say a lint free cloth - that's a bit of a challenge and messy on the hands.

 Use a table lamp to speed up the drying process if needs be - not too close or too hot just gentle warmth.

Use a nail brush to thoroughly wash out your brushes so you don't get a build up of paint where the bristles are held at the neck.

I have had all my brushes for years - if you use water-based products and wash the brush as soon as you finish with it they go on and on.  You can't let the small brushes stand for even a couple of minutes as they dry out very quickly and are harder to clean if you let that happen.  Just get into the habit of -  'done that/wash the brush'.