No only keep the tracking running, but when you make an adjustment watch the start in the reticule (if you can) and keep it in the fov as you adjust by using your handpaddle. This will speed things up so you don't have to go looking for a star again after the adjustment.
You only need to wait long enough to see the drift occur in the dec direction. the closer you get to alignment the longer you will have to wait. If you are only doing visual then no drift under a minute should be fine (I hear visual was what scopes were originally designed for
) but for astrophotography no drift in 5 min (with autoguiding) would be good. If you are looking at AP then consider webcam assisted drift alignment. Can get very accurate drift alignment in a much shorter time