Beat Up by Friday? Yeah, Us too.
Work deadlines, family responsibilities, endless notifications … By the end of the week, weekends can feel like they’re rushing by without ever actually feeling refreshed. Here’s the problem:
A lot of weekend activities don’t actually help anyone relax. In fact, most of them add just more noise on top of an already chaotic week.
Here’s the good news, though.
Certain activities actually reset the mind and body. There’s no need for expensive getaways or overly complicated regimens. The solutions are simple. Scientifically proven. Ways to ditch the stress and step into Monday like a brand-new human.
Why Most Weekends Don’t Feel Restful
Okay, here’s the thing…
52% of employees are so burned out from work that they are frantically trying to get some energy back before Monday morning. That’s more than half the workforce starting the weekend already running on empty.
So what do most people do? Sit on the couch. Scroll on social media. Watch a bunch of TV. Eat a lot of snacks.
Occasionally, someone runs errands or goes to the gym. This isn’t exactly resting but it’s not zero effort either.
Truthfully, none of that is a reset.
A real mental reset means changing the environment. Stepping away from the stressors and the same ol’ same ol’ 4 walls. If you’re living in Arizona, it’s actually a lot easier than it sounds. A scenic drive adventure through the desert beauty surrounding Phoenix is exactly what the mind craves. Scenic drives near Phoenix offer some of the most jaw-dropping terrain in the country.
But why are driving and nature so powerful? Let’s dive into what the experts say…
The Science Behind a Real Mental Reset
The human brain wasn’t designed for this much stimulation.
When stress builds up, the amygdala (our brains’ built-in smoke detector) goes on high alert. This leads to that “cloudy and fuzzy” exhausted feeling that sleep alone doesn’t fix.
So what does the brain need to reset?
Nature, according to some of the top experts in human psychology. The American Heart Association says that spending just 120 minutes a week in a natural setting can improve both physical and mental health. That’s only two hours across the whole week.
Easy, right?
Natural scenery has a documented relaxation effect on the brain. Views of grass, trees, water… These types of things lower cortisol (stress hormones) and enhance mental clarity. The visual changes in a driving environment force the brain out of repetitive thinking patterns.
It’s why aimless drives through beautiful vistas feel so good. When the road stretches out before you with mountains in the distance and desert foliage whizzing by … that’s when the brain finally gets permission to relax.
5 Weekend Activities That Actually Work
Not all weekend activities are equal. In fact, only a handful give you real results.
Hit the Open Road
A lot of people don’t realize that driving can be meditative. The rhythmic movements of steering and watching the scenery blur by can put the brain into a specific mental state.
Scenic drives near Phoenix, specifically, are the absolute best for this. Arizona offers some of the best driving routes in the country. The winding roads of Apache Trail. The red rock vistas of Sedona. The diversity of the terrain ensures that scenic drives near Phoenix will never, ever get boring.
Want to take it up a notch? Swap out the vehicle. A comfortable or exciting car can turn an ordinary drive into a special treat.
Get Moving Outdoors
We all know exercise releases endorphins and feels good, right?
But when you do that exercise outdoors, the benefits multiply.
Arizona is home to hundreds of miles of hiking trails, ranging from easy desert strolls to full-on mountain climbing. Camelback Mountain, South Mountain Park, and the Monastery are just a few of the nearby trails that offer easy access to incredible beauty.
The combo of physical movement and nature is a near-perfect stress release recipe.
Disconnect Completely
No, really. Not only does it sound obvious, but almost nobody does it.
A complete digital detox means putting the phone away. Not silent. Not face-down on the table. Actually.
The half-second reach to check for notifications keeps the brain in a constant state of stress-induced vigilance. Ending that cycle for even a few hours allows your nervous system to calm the heck down.
Try doing this in combination with one of the other suggestions. Make that scenic drive phone-free. And then you’re hitting the reset button twice.
Explore Somewhere New
Our brains love novelty in healthy doses. Visiting a new city or even a new restaurant creates positive neural stimulation.
Trying a different hiking trail or a new sport builds positive memories and breaks the monotony. The brain loves anything that breaks the routine, as long as it’s a positive experience.
Arizona is FULL of quaint little towns and undiscovered spots. Jerome. Bisbee. Prescott. All of these and many more are scenic drive-worthy adventures that promise charm and character just a couple of hours outside of Phoenix.
Practice Active Relaxation
This sounds counterintuitive, but sitting on the couch all weekend isn’t actually relaxing for most people. The brain needs stimulation and engagement to really relax and recharge.
Active relaxation includes things like:
- Photography walks
- Fishing in a quiet lake
- Stargazing in an open desert area
- Picnics at scenic overlooks
All of these activities give the brain something pleasant to focus on without creating any internal stress or mental pressure.
Making the Most of Arizona’s Backyard
Living in Phoenix puts you in the best possible position to have a restful, refreshing weekend.
The Sonoran Desert offers unique landscapes that are found nowhere else on this planet. Mountain ranges, saguaros, and stunning sunsets. Arizona has the perfect backdrop for that weekend reset.
Scenic drives near Phoenix can take you to alpine forests in Flagstaff, red rock in Sedona, or wide-open desert vistas along the Apache Trail. Each direction from the Phoenix metro area offers a completely different driving experience.
The best part? Most of these places are only 2-3 hours away by car. That’s the perfect amount of time for a day trip that feels like a real getaway.
Wrapping It Up
Weekends should feel rejuvenating. They shouldn’t be another thing to survive.
A genuine reset comes down to one thing:
Breaking the pattern. Changing the environment. Turning off the screens. Moving the body. Letting the mind wander into something beautiful.
For Arizona residents, that means scenic drives near Phoenix are an easy and effective solution. The desert vistas, mountain views, and open roads offer exactly what stressed-out minds need.
Pick one of the activities from the list above. Do it this weekend. See how different Monday feels when the weekend actually lived up to the hype.
That refreshed feeling isn’t rocket science to achieve. It just takes conscious decisions on how to use those two precious weekend days.
