Whitening care routine

Does a whitening routine really need multiple steps?

My skin tone has been looking dull lately, so I've been focusing on whitening treatments. But as I continue to whiten, I find myself adding more and more steps.

I'm curious whether a whitening routine needs to be multi-step to be effective. I'd also like to know if it's okay to keep it simple. Those of you who have been using whitening for a long time, please share your routine.