ADHD Lock-In: How to Commit Without Crushing Yourself

Every fall, the internet enters its hustle era. What does this amount to? Think vision boards, “90 Days to Crush Your Goals” PDFs, and productivity influencers yelling things like “Q4 is your comeback season.”

 

This year, it’s got a new name: “The Great Lock-In.”

 

And I love that energy. It completely pumps me up *until* my ADHD brain panics, starts twelve new habits, reorganizes the spice drawer at 11 PM, and crashes hard by Day 4.

 

If you live with anxiety, burnout, or ADHD, the idea of “locking in” might sound more exhausting and overwhelming than inspiring.

 

But that doesn’t mean you can’t create meaningful momentum this season. It just needs to be on your terms.

 

This year, I’m doing an ADHD Lock-In. It’s my version of the “Great Lock-In but with gentle goals, real-life rhythms, and flexible structure with room for naps.

 

If you’re ready to “lock-in” without breaking down, keep reading.

 

 

 

What Is the “Great Lock-In” (and Why Is It Trending)?

 

What is the Great Lock-In?

To simplify it, the great lock-in is a 90-day “sprint” from October to December that encourages people to commit super hard to goals before the year ends, like a self-imposed finish line.

 

Why is it trending?

For some, the push of striving for *all* your forgotten and put-off goals feels powerful. It makes them feel like they’re in control and can accomplish anything. 

 

But for ADHDers? It often sparks a combination of excitement, overcommitting, and sudden existential dread.

 

It’s not a lack of discipline. We mean well. But it’s absolutely a mismatch in expectations.

 

I remember seeing someone’s “Q4 Accountability Board” on Instagram. It was perfectly color-coded, had weekly milestones, and custom stickers. I had just finished eating cereal for dinner because the idea of cooking overwhelmed me. And in that moment? I felt like I was already behind in a race I didn’t even agree to run.

 

 

 

RELATED: The ADHD Fall Reset: Routines That Actually Stick

 

 

 

Why Traditional “Lock-In” Often Mindsets Clash With ADHD

Trying to do a “lock-in” the way productivity culture suggests is like building a house on quicksand. Every system seems solid until life (or your brain) shifts.

 

Here’s where it often goes sideways:

• Hyperfocus = crash cycle
  You start off with energy that feels superhuman. You organize your closet, write your goals for the next 10 years, and deep-clean your inbox in 48 hours. Then, you crash. And feel like a failure.
• All-or-nothing mindset
  If you don’t hit the goal perfectly, you convince yourself it’s not worth trying again.
• Novelty fatigue
  What felt exciting on Day 1 now feels like trying to read a textbook with one eye open.
• Executive dysfunction
  You want to take action, but your brain goes blank. Or everything feels like *too much* to even start.
• Unrealistic timelines
  You plan for a magical version of yourself to show up daily. But “Real You” just wants to lie on the floor.

If these sound familiar, please know that you’re not alone. 

 

I once tried to do a “12-Week Fall Reset.” I made a nice and pretty spreadsheet with color-coding. I had custom habit trackers, theme days, and built-in “focus sprints.” By Week 2, I hadn’t looked at it once. I’d started a new show and was trying to build a capsule wardrobe instead.

 

 

 

Reframing the Lock-In: A Gentle Reset for ADHD Brains

What if we treated this season like a soft place to land, not a race to run?

 

You don’t need to level up. Leveling with yourself can be as powerful as planting seeds in fall – quiet, slow, but real.

 

Think of it like tending a fall garden: slow, intentional, flexible. You’re not forcing growth—you’re creating an environment for it.

 

Here’s the Great ADHD Lock-in (a step-by-step guide):

 

1. Choose *One* Anchor Goal

Just one. Not a vision board, not a checklist the length of your forearm. One goal that brings you back to yourself.

 

Mine this year? Prioritizing real meals—sitting down, eating protein, and not defaulting to caffeine + vibes until 2 PM.

 

 

2. Make It Loose, Not Rigid

Instead of “go to the gym 5x a week,” try “move my body most days.” Structure should guide you instead of guilt-tripping you.

 

 

3. Build in Dopamine

Habit tracking apps, reward systems, and sticker charts can all do wonders for helping you stick to things. Yes, even as an adult. We need the feedback loop

I use a whiteboard by my desk with space to write ONE win per day. It’s silly and low-key, but it works.

 

 

4. Schedule Grace Days

“Skipping” isn’t failure. It’s part of the plan. Try not to beat yourself up about it.

 

I intentionally mark 2 “whatever” days each week. These are days when I expect nothing and celebrate anything.

 

 

This year, my Great Lock-In often has days that look like:

Cozy socks, soft lo-fi music, a fall candle burning, and a visible note that says: “Focus on food, not perfection.”

 

It doesn’t include “crush it” playlists or hustle. 

 

 

 

RELATED: ADHD Overwhelm: 9 Coping Tips That Actually Work

 

 

 

ADHD Lock-In Goal Ideas

Need inspiration? Here’s what’s worked for me and my readers:

 

• Build a 15-minute wind-down ritual.
  Helps transition your brain from “buzzing chaos” to “sleep is possible.”
• Meal prep just one lunch a week.
  Future You will cry tears of joy on Wednesday.
• Create a Sunday reset checklist.
  Prevents Monday Morning Mystery Mode: “Wait, what do I need to do again?”
• Log off screens by 9:30 PM.
  Protects your dopamine for tomorrow.
• Walk after work 3x/week.
  Eases anxiety. Breaks the “scroll-sit-scroll” loop.
• Declutter one drawer a week.
  Feeds your brain that “I did a thing!” dopamine without triggering burnout.
• Light one candle when you work.
  Creates a sensory cue for “focus mode” (even if you’re just checking email).

I tried the candle thing this fall. I light it, open my laptop, and my brain goes, “Okay, this is when we’re supposed to work.” It’s a vibe and a trick. Both help.

 

 

 

When You Fall Off, Here’s How to Gently Restart Your ADHD Lock-In

Spoiler alert: You will fall off. That’s not failure. It’s a sign that you are a living, breathing human who can’t do everything perfectly *all* the time.

 

Your worth isn’t measured by your streaks, even during an ADHD lock-in.

 

Consistency doesn’t mean never missing. Almost no one is capable of that, especially long-term. Consistency means coming back.

 

Also, you’re not lazy. Learning to build systems that fit your brain isn’t laziness.

 

Here’s how to re-enter without the guilt spiral:

• Go back to your anchor goal. That’s your home base.
• Shrink the habit.
  Instead of “30-minute workout,” try “2-minute stretch” or “300 extra steps.”
• Drop the shame. Seriously. Shame kills momentum.

 

Even experts at ADDitude share why ADHD goal setting requires flexibility, not perfection.

 

I have taken this to heart. I stopped doing my nightly wind-down routine for a week. I was exhausted and numb. But one night, I sat on my bed and stretched for two minutes. It didn’t fix everything, but it reminded me I could start again.

 

 

 

RELATED: 10 Micro Habits for Productivity ADHD Brains Really Love

 

 

 

The Takeaway: Focus > Finish (and That’s Enough)

Everyone else might be doing the “great lock-in,” but your version of “locking in” doesn’t have to match theirs. 

 

You? You’re allowed to lock in slowly.

 

You don’t need to crush Q4. You also don’t need to finish everything.

 

You just need to tune in, gently, and trust your pace.

 

Your version of ‘locking in’ can look like cozy socks and quiet progress.

 

Remember: Focus beats finish pretty much every time.

 

Which goal feels doable for you right now? Be honest with yourself and focus on your ultimate goal. Make gentle plans around that to keep your eye on the prize and accomplish your goals at your own pace.

 

Save this as a permission slip for when you feel behind.