Better Capture Process for GoPro to YouTube?

Hey all,

I record videos on a set of GoPros and I upload to YouTube. I posted yesterday regarding my current workflow - which is I think may be severely lacking. I still need some help there, but I wanted to break out a few other questions...

I am recording my footage at 4000 wide x 3000 tall so I have that additional vertical space, however, I set my sequence to 2560 x 1440 and then export at that size. 

I'm wondering if it is a BAD idea to record my footage bigger and then scale everything down? Is that taking way longer to export? Are my files bigger with no real benefit - or what do you all think?

For reference I do graphic design, and it is always best when you can start with a larger image and resize down - so I have applied that concept here, but I might be making my life much more difficult and wasting a ton of hard drive space and export time...

Please advise.