Cut some bark for a bit (just enough for you to notice the bar went right), then do something dexterity related such as filling a bottle of water, bandaging, lockpicking a door, opening an ammo box, skinning, or doing medical stuff.

I noticed that soft skill progress will work as long as you are doing the very same action, but mix it up, or do an other strength related action for the very first time and it will reset (if you end up at like 75%, strength side, and want to build a base by cutting a try, or want to bury something, it will also reset. However, if you recently had done those they will work for a time (meaning I could cut trees, dig/bury, or drench my clothes and it would work, then, later, it will reset again if I do those again)

If I want to repair my clothes to pristine, or build a big base faster, I'd rather not have all my work undone just because I was in need to bandage myself or because I crafted a wooden box :)