What single workflow change unlocked pro-sounding, glued mixes in-the-box?

[Paul_T]

I'm a home music producer who has gotten decent at composing and arranging, but my mixes always sound amateurish—either too muddy in the low end or harsh and thin overall. I've watched countless tutorials on mixing techniques, but I struggle to translate theory into practice, especially with balancing levels, applying EQ and compression effectively, and creating a sense of space. For producers who have moved past this plateau, what was the single most impactful change in your approach or workflow? How do you systematically tackle a mix from the start, and what are your go-to methods for cleaning up a crowded frequency spectrum and achieving a professional, glued-together sound without just slamming everything with a limiter? I'm working entirely in the box with a decent set of studio monitors.