Off the Record: Edition 5
Midyear goals, the panic of hitting them early, and a few Amazon picks (Workhorses Only, of course)
I’ve always hated walking into parties. I arrive, people are already clustered—some laughing in tight groups, others in quiet conversations—and I transform into a little crab, scuttling sideways along the edges of the room, trying to find a place to wedge myself in.
That’s the feeling I don’t want you to have here.
With so many new readers (yay!), it might feel like you’ve walked into a party already in progress—unsure what this space is about, or if you’re in the right space at all. Maybe you’re already eyeing the exit, scuttling around the edges, wondering if you should slip out before anyone notices.
I’m the host here, so let me set the table.
Welcome! I’m Marina. I’m a professor in the practice of marketing, mother of two delightful (and rambunctious) children, and a hobby advocate. This Substack is called “Off Duty” because, at a certain point, I realized I was in a perpetual state of Never Being Off (see: worker + young kids). I needed to be off duty:
I like work. Until I overwork.
I like parenting. Until I overparent.
I like consuming. Until I overconsume.
American culture has a way of “overing” all of the above. Long-term, I’d love to help influence our culture, but short-term, I’m building a community of Whole Humans—people who want to work, parent, and consume with intention so that we can make more space for joy.
On Wednesdays, I write about a theme related to overworking or overparenting, often exploring potential solutions, like hobbies, dual-income household systems, and systems to reduce the mental load.
On Saturdays, I publish “Workhorses Only,” a fun, but no-nonsense, column about cutting through marketing noise so we can buy useful things instead of overconsuming. Each week, I tackle a category—handbags, capsule wardrobes, skincare—and apply a critical (marketing) lens so we can be smart shoppers.
Once a month, I go Off the Record. That’s what you’re reading now. It’s a more raw, behind-the-scenes, personal check-in, and this one is juicy because we’re halfway through 2025 (!). Inside you’ll find:
Mid-year goal check-in
Battling imposter syndrome (and why I’ve decided losing is my best option)
Best of Amazon Prime “Day” (3 tech products, 2 beauty recs and 0 vacuums)
Alright, let’s go Off the Record.
Traditionally, work has a way of hoarding my best energy and I wanted 2025 to be different. For the first time, I wrote down hobby goals: tennis multiple times a week, a canvas art project with the kids, more mahjong, and reading new science-fiction authors.
Pouring time into hobbies is making me happier. Full stop.
Admittedly, while my kids are young I’m pursuing “tempered ambition” (a term I coined and like) but I do have professional goals. I want to be a writer. I hemmed and hawed for two years but here I am. I decided to dedicate this teaching-free summer to becoming a better writer.
But also! I didn’t want to write into the air. So, I set a lofty goal of hitting 2500 readers by Labor Day.
Spoiler: I hit that goal on June 29.
Now I’m faced with a few options for what should come next.
I’ve decided