The Off-Road Antidote

The culture of American work life has serious problems when it comes to well-being. Spoiler alert: there’s not much wellness. High burnout rates are the norm, and the impacts of job-related stress on work and personal relationships are real. Fortunately, there’s a simple, free, and obvious remedy to counter that stress: going outside.

For years, Outside has documented the benefits of time spent outdoors starting with mood and self-esteem boosts after even short bouts of outdoor activity. And beyond the instant mental health upsides, we’ve covered the science that backs up the lasting physiological benefits—from reduced hypertension and asthma to boosted immune systems—explaining why an increasing number of doctors are prescribing time outdoors.

Unfortunately, we’re not taking our medicine. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American spends 90% of their time indoors. And even with the means and time to break free from the work grind, nearly half of U.S. workers with paid time off don’t take all of it anyway.

Sometimes an intervention is needed for a real outdoor escape. This spring, we screened hundreds of people, online and in the streets, to find the most severe cases of indoor-bound, overworked employees. Sadly, respondents who claimed to have an unhealthy work-life balance were all too easy to find. But out of the uniquely stressed, we picked the three workers most in need of an unmatched outdoor experience.

The prescription is a Bronco Off-Roadeo®. These unique adventure camps—spread across the U.S. in Moab, New Hampshire, Nevada, Tennessee, and Texas—pair backcountry driving challenges and instruction with a curated basecamp experience. Beyond the immersive off-roading behind the wheel of a Bronco SUV, Bronco Off-Roadeos boast incredible opportunities for adventure around every corner. Broncos are provided for everyone who enrolls, and the experience is complimentary for all Bronco owners. Five locations means there’s an Off-Roadeo within 500 miles of the vast majority of Bronco owners—and non-Bronco owners can join the action too, thanks to the Half-Day Adventure option.

With that accessibility in mind, Outside collaborated with Ford to send three of the hardest cases of overworked employees to experience a Bronco Off-Roadeo for themselves. To level up the rejuvenating impact, we set up each Off-Roadeo participant with a Ford Bronco ambassador. The goal: provide personalized guidance on stepping up the adventure fun, and to bring balance back into these individuals’ lives. See their stories below.

And if you’re still feeling burned out, fill your own prescription for outdoor adventure and sign up for the next Bronco Off-Roadeo near you.

Episode 1: Jamie Holmes
Bronco Off-Roadeo New Hampshire

Supervising an emergency shelter for teenagers in West Virginia, Jamie Holmes struggles to disconnect from her full-time social work, even off the clock. “My husband says that when I’m not talking about work, he can tell I’m thinking about it,” says Holmes, who also works a second job serving at a country club on the weekends. “The closest I get to being outdoors some weeks is serving the outdoor section.”

With Holmes in serious need of outdoor recreation therapy, her Bronco Off-Roadeo trip puts her behind the driver’s seat of an off-road vehicle for the very first time. Challenging? Yes, but that’s the point, as friendly trail guides help Holmes through rocky, forested New Hampshire terrain. After tackling the course’s hair- and wheel-raising obstacles, Holmes teams up with professional mountain biker and Bronco Ambassador Rachel Strait to continue her outdoor adventure on two wheels. Collecting her breath after having not ridden a mountain bike for ten years, Holmes confides in Strait how the day will help her restore better work-life balance. “I definitely felt empowered through the experience,” she says.