Off Worque Is Reimagining What Rest Equity Really Looks Like

In a world where hustle culture is glorified and burnout is worn like a badge of honor, Off Worque is rewriting the narrative. Founded by Cristina—Panamanian, Haitian, and proudly Off Worque herself—the platform is a revolutionary space for Black, Brown, and queer folks to reclaim rest, joy, and autonomy in a system that rarely allows for either.

 Cristina’s journey began the way many of ours do: deep in burnout. After years of grinding through social media marketing jobs, her life became her work, and it was slowly draining her. “I quit that job on the spot in March 2023,” she says. What followed was a reclamation: art classes, tennis clubs, sleeping in, and finally, a return to herself. “I knew that if I did not make a change in my lifestyle today, I may not exist tomorrow.” That raw truth is the foundation Off Worque was built on.

Cristina’s upbringing shaped her understanding of labor. “Being West Indian, I never heard of rest,” she shares. “My parents worked any job to make ends meet—but that came with a price.” The exhaustion, the missed moments, the lack of presence. Cristina knew early on she didn’t want to inherit that version of survival. Instead, she decided to create a new model—one where rest isn’t a reward, but a right.

Off Worque isn’t just about logging off; it’s about liberation. It challenges the capitalist frameworks that measure our worth in productivity and overachievement. “Success for me,” Cristina says, “is a day where I took my time.” It’s a radical shift in perspective—away from metrics and deadlines, and toward mindfulness, presence, and community care.

That community is the heartbeat of Off Worque. From life coaching sessions and donation-based wellness events to the OOO Fund—an initiative to grant creatives and professionals a week of fully funded paid time off—the brand is a soft rebellion wrapped in support, guidance, and real action. “In community, you’re not just held accountable,” Cristina says, “you feel safe.”

AP: For so many creatives and professionals—especially Black, Brown, and queer folks—capitalism can feel like survival mode. What toll does that take on our bodies, our creativity, and our joy?

Cristina: Capitalism had me working at 3am PST to work with a German based team at adidas so I can buy a new car. I bought the car and guess what? It’s sitting in a garage right now because it’s actually easier to find joy in walking a new route to store, catch a flyer for an art class blowing in the wind and meet someone on the sidewalk wearing the same shoes as me as we both yell “TWINSSS!!!!” The toll it takes on our body is mental, physical and spiritual and it’s even harder for people of color and queer folks because there’s already a preconceived notion of how “america works” and how we’re “not” designed to fit into it. The glares that come after you take your third PTO day this month fuel other people’s thoughts of “they’re lazy” but instead, I push people to create their own values and live by them. Instead of being lazy, you value rest and SAY THAT. “I do my best when I’m well rested and I want to bring 100% to the team im on” is my go-to repose and what I teach others in workshops we host.

AP: The current work culture glorifies overwork and hustle. How do you see capitalism affecting not only our labor, but our self-worth?

Cristina: Capitalism plays one of the biggest roles in our self-worth and it’s amplified by social media. It’s quite easy to scroll through and see that your favorite influencer just bought a new boat or a lavish vacation. That can ruin your POV on our self worth no matter how much work you do to curate your feed or therapy to mend your mental. It’s not something I can control or even stop by tomorrow, but what I can do is help shift your mindset to find self worth in the joy of existing instead of material things or trips only the 2% can afford. We do this through our life coaching sessions, helping people reshape what they have and maximize it. The harder you work, the more money you will make (maybe) but when you’re physically unable to get out of bed or have a day without a migraine, who’s going to spend that money?

AP: How do you define success outside of capitalist frameworks? How do you guide your community toward that redefinition?

Cristina: Success for me is a day where I took my time. Capitalist frameworks align with being on time, rushing, working quickly, working faster than others while off worque frameworks align with being present, kind to yourself and resting when needed. I used to rush or feel that the day was escaping me if I didn’t get to the gym by 7am to log in my 9:30am at the latest. But realistically, I was setting myself up for a day of completed tasks and not fullfillment. Through our programing, we encourage our members to take breaks, even sometimes every hour. We encourage them to take their PTO, even pay them for it. That redefinition takes time. Our monthly life coaching sessions aren’tt going to fix your thought process but surrounding yourself with community that lives that lifestyle will. We hold SO MUCH space every month to help people work towards a clearer more fulfilling life.

Off Worque also recognizes that healing isn’t just internal—it’s systemic. In a system where Black women are expected to be strong, where we are guilted for needing rest, and low-wage workers are punished for taking time off, Off Worque is a refusal to stay silent.

AP: You talk about rest and balance as being radical. Can you speak more to that—why is prioritizing wellness such a revolutionary act?

Cristina: You ever put in PTO and then a co worker comes at your neck for “taking off AGAIN?” PTO, you know, what’s apart of your compensation package, always seems to be a problem to those who never take the time off. It sucks to say that working your 40+ hours a week has become a norm and you’re almost revolting against “the man/your boss” the second you ask for what’s already yours: rest. 

Black women are told to be strong, not soft. Single mothers are made to feel guilty for needing rest at all. Low-wage workers are denied flexibility and penalized for time off.

Rest equity is the equal right to rest, PTO, OOO, logging off when you need to in comparison to our white counterparts and leaders. Revolt today by taking that PTO. Because when rest is only accessible to the privileged, we’re not just burnt out, we’re trapped.

AP: You’re building something that’s not just anti-burnout, but pro-liberation. What does liberation at work actually look like?

Cristina: Liberation at work looks like having freedom to work in an environment that suites you. Sometimes that’s working from home or hybrid. Taking PTO without conflicting with others like a boss or a campaign schedule. Working with people and a company culture that encourages breaks and rest. It looks like bringing your dog to work, your kid to an inhouse company day care. Lunch out of office. After work activities. All of these things contribute to the well being of your employees and this is what im working towards companies understanding this.

The work is both spiritual and practical. It’s calling in the coworker who side-eyes your PTO. It’s rewriting what “work ethic” means. It’s finding joy in small things—art flyers on sidewalks, “TWINS!” moments with strangers, and the liberation that comes from knowing your job isn’t your identity.

Looking ahead, Cristina’s vision is expansive but grounded. She dreams of a world where four-day work weeks are standard, where wellness is integrated into the workday, and where rest isn’t seen as weakness but as wisdom. Until then, Off Worque will keep building—grant by grant, hug by hug, one liberated workday at a time.

AP: What advice would you give to someone who wants to shift their relationship to work but doesn’t know where to begin?

Cristina: Start with voicing your concerns in a journal. Write down everything that’s blocking you from having that work life balance or healthy working environment  you deserve.  Then find a community you feel comfortable sharing your thoughts with, like us! We hold space every Wednesday to share, vent, cry or scream about anything bothering you work related mid week. From there, start to join these communities in outings, make friends within them and share what you’ve learned with others.

AP: What’s next for Off Worque? How do you plan to continue deepening the impact of this work?

Cristina: What’s next is to continue to fundraise and community build.  Our OOO Fund is our main focus, a grant to fund creatives, founders, industry professionals etc. to take a week of PTO and continuing to hold space virtually and online for those who want to meet when they’re off worque + redefine what work/life balance looks like to them.

If you’ve ever felt like your job was your whole personality, if you’ve ever questioned your worth because you weren’t doing enough—Cristina and Off Worque are here to remind you: You are more than your output. You deserve joy. You deserve stillness. And yes, you deserve rest.

Support the OOO Fund and learn more about Off Worque at givebutter.com/OOOfundwithoffworque.