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Feeling Stuck Indoors? Here’s Some Inspo To Get Out Of A Gloomy LA Day Rut
Colorful tiles and murals line the trail leading into the Ballona Creek bike path at the Duquesne Avenue access point.
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Chava Sanchez
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LAist
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Los Angeles has had gloomy, wet, and just plain old cold weather for over a week now. The sun is starting to break through, but even so, some of us might be starting to experience cabin fever. If you’re feeling irritable, listless, impatient or lonely, it might be time to take action.
Here are some ways to get back out in L.A. and fight off a rut:
Stay physically active, and get outside if you can
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Here’s the thing about staying inside for long periods of time, as we all recently found out thanks to COVID lockdown: Once you hunker down, it's hard to hunker back up. You’re inside, you’re cozy, and you want to stay inside and stay cozy.
The good news is, you don’t have to run a 5K to feel the effects of moving your body. If it’s still raining in your area, you can shake things up by just standing up and doing some stretches.
If the sun is out, you can get the added benefit of going outdoors. L.A.'s hidden staircases (shown above) are a great way to incorporate a burst of movement.
Eat regular meals
Pupusas from Sarita’s Pupuseria.
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Brian Feinzimer
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For LAist
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Just like staying indoors for prolonged periods, it’s easy to get stuck in eating patterns that aren’t great for our mental or physical well-being; eat a sleeve of Oreos one night, and it's tempting to do the same the next. But it’s best if you can stick to regular meal times and well-rounded plates.
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Not in the mood to cook? Check out some of our local food guides, including pupusas in DTLA, kimchi burritos in Glendale, Monhinga fish soul in Culver City, and more.
Check out someplace new
L.A. is nothing if not full of new places to discover, and they don't even have to put a dent in your wallet. Here’s a list of museums in and around the city that are always free or have designated free days. They include LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, the California Science Center, Descanso Gardens and more.
Stay mentally active
It’s tempting to sit on the couch and binge watch literally everything. Try not to. Take breaks from Netflix by reading a book or magazine, doing a puzzle or picking up another IRL habit you enjoy; maybe that’s cooking, sewing, rearranging your indoor plants, painting, adult coloring book-ing, playing with Play-Doh, talking to your betta fish — whatever works for you.
But if you’ve hit hour five of your third-favorite reality TV show (... for example…) it’s probably time to change things up.
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Get off your phone
Recent research has shown just how bad social media can be for young people — and it’s not great for grown-ups, either. Here are some tips and tricks to enforce phone-free time, including scheduling breaks and turning off notifications.
If you're still trying to figure out what to do, this weekend will be the first dry one since mid-February. Here are our top picks of events and activities to check out.
And don't worry
Southern California's famous sunshine never stays away too long.
Another stunning view from Griffith Observatory at sunrise on a day where we were not dodging hail and chilly winds.
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Richy_B/Getty Images/iStockphoto
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iStockphoto
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