On weekdays I strop the night before to save time in the morning, and on weekends I strop immediately before I shave. I've never noticed a difference.

I'm familiar with the view that the steel should "rest" before being stropped. However, barbers from the past would use the same straight all day, stropping it throughout the day. Professional cooks use their knives all day and take them to a steel throughout the day. It's an interesting concept and I'd like to hear more about the basis of it.