Level up from 38 to 40

Things change, points might become important. If you don't rake in points right now, at least save candy...catch pidgeys...don't catch as many spinaraks. Weedles good...Hoothoot not so much

You have all the XP you need right now, so work on the other aspects that now have a higher priority.
If that is building teams, dust, candy, or dex...what ever your priorities are, they just leap frogged XP.

Congrats on 38.

Funny, I never thought I'd care about reaching 40, but now that it's within reach (closing in on 39) I have realized that I do! So I'll keep using lucky eggs and raking in XP and dust like crazy (no work for the next 3 days, yeah!)

It's not my only goal (soloing t3 and finally doing some t4 and t5 raids are others), and during non-event times I take it slow, but it's definitely one. But it doesn't have any practical benefit, you're right (only personal pride ;)