The best approach really is just to use VPN for specific purposes. Everyday traffic, checking the news, personal email, etc shouldn't be via VPN. You should buy yourself a dedicated laptop for "work" with all that traffic going via VPN+Tor. Don't use your "work" laptop for anything personal and visa versa with your personal devices.

This keeps things simple (conceptually) while also effortlessly creates genuinely normal looking traffic. However eventually you'll still get caught. It doesn't matter how careful you are, you only need to slip up once.