Variability and NP

As we get into the warmer months and I’m trying to increase time on the bike in preparation for my A event (SBT Black in August), I had a question about outside rides

Is it advisable to attempt to keep the variability index on a ride closer to 1, thus decreasing the gap between average and normalized power? Are there advantages / disadvantages to trying to keep power more steady on rides happening in the real world where gradients / other riders shape how you ride?

Or am I overthinking this and just focus on getting the outdoor experience to complement the structured indoor sessions prescribed by TR?