I did all of my car work on jackstands for many years. Certainly not optimal, but I didn't have a car lift so I just did what I had to do. The worst? A financially impaired buddy enlisted my help with a motor swap some years ago. The car was on gravel. We had to lay plywood down so the engine hoist could roll. The steel wheels kept punching through the plywood, making it a real pisser. The rear axle was out, so we couldn't simply move the car fore/aft.
Now I am fortunate to have a 2 post car lift. Yeah, it makes things much easier but I'm still able to "flat-back" for repairs if necessary. It all is a matter of doing what you have to do to get the job done. Good luck to you.