Let’s talk about something I know so many cookiers can relate to: feeling overwhelmed and stretched way too thin.
I’ve had those late nights decorating until 2 or 3 a.m.
I’ve had cookies covering every surface of my kitchen.
I’ve been short on sleep, short on patience, and wondering, “Is this really worth it?”
A few years ago, during one of my busiest seasons—think Mother’s Day + Teacher Appreciation back-to-back—I had a major wake-up call. I’d said yes to way too many custom orders, thinking what’s a few more dozen? But by the time Friday pickups rolled around, I was exhausted, behind on packaging, snapping at everyone in my house (sorry, delivery guy), and I hadn’t even taken photos of the cookies yet.
And the worst part? After all that chaos… I barely made a profit.
That was the moment I realized: this isn’t how I want to run my business. It wasn’t sustainable, and it definitely wasn’t fun.
So I made a few key changes—three to be exact—that helped me move from constant chaos to something much more manageable. And if you’re feeling overwhelmed right now, I hope these shifts will help you too.
1. I Stopped Saying Yes to Everything
I’m a recovering people-pleaser, so this was hard for me at first. I used to say yes to every order request—especially from loyal customers or friends. Even if my schedule was full, I’d squeeze it in. I didn’t want to miss a chance to grow my business or disappoint someone.
But here’s what I learned: every yes to one thing is a no to something else.
And usually, that “something else” was my family, my rest, or my sanity.
Once I started setting boundaries—real boundaries—everything changed. I decided how many orders I could realistically take in a week and stuck to it. I created clear cut-off dates. I stopped feeling guilty for protecting my time.
And guess what? My customers respected me more for it. They started ordering earlier and appreciated the structure I’d put in place. Setting boundaries didn’t make me less professional—it made me more.
2. I Stopped Prepping Everything at the Last Minute
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably said, “I’ll just prep that later,” more times than you can count.
Well… later always shows up. And it usually shows up at the worst possible time.
To break the cycle, I started prepping ahead—way ahead. I batched my dough and only baked once a week. I made all my icing and colored it in one session (bonus: the colors got richer overnight!). And I started prepping packaging weeks in advance—printing tags, assembling boxes, ordering bows—so I wasn’t scrambling the night before pickups.
Batching not only saved me time, it gave me mental clarity. I wasn’t constantly switching gears or second-guessing what I’d forgotten. I was able to focus more, create more efficiently, and even take on more orders (when I wanted to).
3. I Stopped Undercharging for My Cookies
Let’s be honest—cookies are expensive to make. And your time? It’s priceless.
If you’re staying up late, turning people away, and still not making enough to feel like it’s worth it… you’re probably undercharging. And I say that with love because I’ve been there too.
Cheap orders are draining. They burn you out. And they don’t build a sustainable business.
Once I started pricing based on my actual time and costs, I was able to take fewer orders, make more money, and finally feel like my hard work was paying off. I wasn’t afraid to say no to last-minute requests or orders that weren’t a good fit—because I didn’t need to rely on them anymore.
I know change can be hard. Especially when you’ve been doing things a certain way for a while. But if you’re feeling overwhelmed, overworked, or underpaid, it might be time to stop doing the things that are holding you back.
✅ Set boundaries
✅ Prep ahead
✅ Charge what you’re worth
Your future self will be so thankful you did.
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