I think that it is a good habit to develop (changing to 1st and then putting your left foot down) but of course common sense prevails.
I have dropped my bike 3 times while I was getting accustomed to it. Once slowing to a stop sign about to turn left.. I found later that there was a bit of a depression in the road surface and I may have put my foot in that. I also wasn't used to the bike and also found that it was high when it still had the original seat. The second drop was while riding up a steep hill and then again turning left at very slow speed with my wife as pillion. I over-balanced and slowly put it down on it's left side. The 3rd time was at Esk and I attempted to reverse park it out the front of a cafe.. the camber of the road was steeper than usual and I may (or may not) have neglected to put the stand down. I feel much more comfortable and confident on the ST now, and I have modified the seat and it's a bit lower.