Well, the majority of my lucid dreams happened 2 years ago when I just started. So about 16-18 of them.
And all of that was because of what you're describing.

Through the whole week, I'd be telling myself in my head all these things. Just constant auto-suggestion (mantras), and RCing and stuff.

So basically, yea, it's pretty darn effective. At least on me anyways. But it takes effort. I was literally thinking about it constantly in my waking life, and as I fall asleep too.