In river kayaking, we often have to put in at non-optimal locations along river banks.  There may be a drop-off, slippery surfaces, moving water, or other challenges.  A good practice is ensuring you have at least three solid points of contact when entering/exiting your craft.  This is often two feet on land and a hand holding the craft or two hands stabilizing the craft and placing one foot at a time inside the boat.  The paddle float rescue in deep water depends on this principle - tripods can be very stable.  Here's an article on this subject from the ACA: Boarding a kayak from shoreline.  Keeping your weight low is also far less tippy.  That is also demonstrated quite clearly in the paddle float rescue.