Me personally I don't have a time table, my merit is not even equal to my activities, I have been here for years since 2018, but that doesn't not stop me from making post when I have the time to. This is all base on personal interest, if you are very interested with the forum and need to spend more time here fine. but if you are occupied with other works and you only visit here when you are free also fine.
About activities, they all work and update as you continue posting every 14 days 14 activities update for you.
Merit; I don't have much of it, but I believe it comes as a result of dropping quality post, but having in mind or always asking about merit do delay the merit coming, because you might end up being noisey and posting things which are completely irrelevant because you are in search for merit.
Here same thing too here I post activity and merit doesn't match at all
Back in 2014 there is no merit system and what I do as a newbie is asked to older rank/older members here if i don't know just ask them some people will answer it and try to blend with other and then I become hero member hahah
Tho I like to be in this forum doing posts and sometimes got paid from it, sometimes or most of the time I learned a new thing on this forum. Some of the news also updated on here.
Little advice just learn more and keep reading you will learn and you will get the "fruit" at the end of the day.