Handheld or Static?

I am making a student film and initially really wanted all of my shots to be done on a tripod. But I need to save time as the script has become longer than expected, and setting up a tripod for every take eats a ridiculous amount of time. What’s optimal and needed to get a camera operator as steady as possible with a handheld? Keep in mind the operator will be carrying the camera and rig for a full day.