🧑‍💻 The Great Lock In 101

How to participate in The Great Lock In, the right way — in 5 minutes.

Author

Flocus
September 14, 2025

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Hey there! Welcome back to The Flow by Flocus. If you’re new around here, welcome! 👋  You can catch up on our previous editions right here.

This week: What can you achieve in 121 days? It’s a question we’ll ask you to keep in mind as we break down “The Great Lock In”, a productivity trend that’s taking the internet by storm. 🌪️

🧑‍💻 Welcome to “The Great Lock In”

These last few weeks, we’ve talked a lot about transitioning from August to September with ease.

Why? Because the season ahead is super busy for lots of cultures around the world.

The end-of-year holidays and 2026 are right around the corner, which means this is “the final stretch” for so many.

Busy seasons like these are the perfect time to try what TikTok is calling “The Great Lock In”:

A 121-day sprint on 1-2 projects or priorities for maximum growth in minimal time.

Before we explore how to lock in, let’s debunk some myths about this popular productivity method.

🧞‍♀️ Debunking Myths About Locking In

Locking in doesn’t mean:

  • Sacrificing your sleep or health

  • Neglecting your closest relationships

  • Denying yourself fun and joy until you reach your goal

  • Running yourself ragged to meet self-imposed deadlines

  • Focusing only on “boring” chores or stuff you’re “supposed” to do

The whole point of locking in? Achieving lots of personal growth quickly. You may not necessarily reach your goal, but you will make decent progress if you stick to it.

Whatever your goals and motivations are for locking in, remember this:

You’re not a machine — you’re more like a plant.

You need just the right mix of sunshine, water, and healthy food in the right environment to grow and blossom.

Don’t deprive yourself of those essentials if you hope to make it to the finish line 121 days from now (or if you hope to live a balanced, productive life in general).

Now, let’s get to the goods: your step-by-step walkthrough for locking in this month (and beyond).

🔐 How to Lock In

🥢 Pick 1-2 projects or priorities, max

Physically and mentally, it’s impossible to lock in on every single area of your life for an entire season. Even if you could, you’d be exhausted and burned out by the end.

So pick just 1 or 2 things to “go hard” on. They don’t have to be work- or school-related, necessarily — you might want to focus on a home project or self-care routine instead.

🫷Resist distractions disguised as accountability

Think twice before jumping on social to tell everyone about your 121-day lock in commitment. Using social media for accountability can be helpful — but it can also be a trap for your brain.

Simply announcing your plans like this gives your brain a hit of happy chemicals. The more people engage with your announcement, the more happy chemicals your brain will produce.

The problem? This flood of good feelings tricks your brain into thinking you’ve already done some real work toward your actual goal — when, really, all you’ve done is hit post.

If you need real accountability, here are some alternatives to try:

  • Team up with a buddy (find one in the the Flocus Discord server!)

  • Check in with your accountability partner privately, outside social media

  • Wait until you’ve finished the challenge to share your big announcement

🏜️ Jump right in

Once you know what you’re focusing on and you’ve reduced some of your usual distractions, all that’s left to do is get to work. Right? Well, not quite.

Everyone talks about “deep work”, but the truth is it looks different for everyone. And some people don’t vibe with the concept of the “flow state”, either.

Try these realistic tips for staying on track during your work sessions (and recognizing when you need to pause or quit for the day):

  • Notice when you’re tempted to stop due to stress, boredom, or tiredness

  • Set timers or reminders to check in with yourself

  • Let your friends, housemates, and others know when you’re working to prevent disruptions

  • Keep a scratch sheet of paper handy to catch those random thoughts and to-dos that crop up during your deep work sesh

👾 Make it a game or challenge

We talk a lot about infusing joy, fun, and playfulness into your responsibilities — because these bubbly emotions make productivity feel effortless.

If you’re locking in this month, here are some ideas you’ll actually look forward to:

  • 🎁 Create an “advent calendar” with rewards for each day you meet your goal

  • 🗂️ Try an established challenge, like 75 Hard, for specific goals

  • 🐎 “Race yourself” — set tiny, achievable goals for your sprint sessions and see how quickly you can meet them

🛌 Rest just as hard as you work

If you’re familiar with high-intensity interval training exercises, you might already know this:

Proper rest and recovery are essential after exerting a lot of energy.

This goes for your mental workouts, too. Make sure you’re taking breaks at least once every 2 hours to reset your brain.

And remember, resting doesn’t always mean sleeping. Forms of “active” rest — like reading a book or doing a puzzle — are great ways to unwind while enjoying some worthwhile stimulation.

🪅 Flocus Picks

A curated list of things worth sharing.

  • How to Trigger Your Flow State (The Flow Archives) — Keen to learn more about the flow state and deep work? Check out this gem from our archives

  • How Much Work Is Possible Per Day? (Video) — Cal Newport breaks down how many hours of useful, focused work you’re actually capable of doing in a day (hint: it’s probably much less than you think!)

  • productive work lofi (Playlist) — Lowkey jazzhop tunes to vibe out to

✨ Flocus: Your Personal Productivity Dashboard

Flocus is built for seasons like this: when you want to focus deeply but stay grounded. Plan your day with a simple task list, track your progress with our customizable focus timer, and unwind in ambient mode with layerable soundscapes and themes.

🗳️ POLL: Are you participating in The Great Lock In?

Any other thoughts? Let us know in the comments!

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Some seasons (like this one) are for sprinting. Others are for hibernating. Respecting those rhythms — instead of fighting them by trying to be productive 100% of the time — is key for a balanced life.

Stay tuned for next week’s edition, where we’ll talk all about how to manage your laundry list of life admin.

What’d you think of our thoughts on The Great Lock in? Have you seen the trend on TikTok or social? Sound off in the replies!

Until next Sunday,

Flocus Team

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Companies like Pacaso support our tiny team at The Flow, allowing us to keep doing what we do 💜