I believe that is the most timeconsuming thing ever added to game and i do not at all like it and my experience is that if not able to be online very often its not easy to progress.. To be honest im not very impressed.. and will not participate..
Same could be said about GE, GvG and Daily. Noone say we have to do everything possible in the game.
I do not do GvG, I love GE, but it is to time eating as I hate losing and sometimes it takes both time, lots of goods and even diamond to be sure to get a gold pokal. Of same reason, I choose to be in a one mans guild on 2 out of 5 worlds as I do not have the time for it.
Daily, I mostly let do it self, and if I get something, it's nice.
I love the vikings. Yes the first days do have shacks, that need to be havesting each 4 hours and I may only get the cobber from them 3-4 times a day. I may drop them in a corner without road to get room for more shrines so I can do 2x8 hours and one x 4 hours.
Even if it take you a month to finish the settlement, you will still get the main reward, Yggdrasil upgrades and Emissaries, only the runestone fragments will be lost.
Just visit the settlement when you visit your main town.