It is a damn shame thru-axles didn't become standard right when disc brakes came out. Would have made life so much easier. I generally find installing a wheel with it on the ground helps and if you can lean it straight up it should be bad. What I might recommend and this can go with anything like clipping and unclipping shoes or installing a tire is practice it a bunch in a low stress environment get the motions down pat that way when in the field riding things will go more smoothly.

I know if I hadn't put my tent together that first time at home listening to music relaxed I would have really been fumbling the first time I actually got to use it and it was starting to rain.