As a college student, you've probably heard this phrase before. Locking in means cutting out distractions—closing TikTok and Instagram Reels, stepping away from games, and eliminating anything else that stops you from focusing. It's about directing all your energy toward what actually matters: schoolwork, a project, or a job.
Unfortunately, locking in is extremely hard. According to a survey by Crucial Learning, 1 in 3 people can only focus on a task for 10 minutes or less before getting distracted. Today's world is full of constant notifications and entertainment that tempt us at every turn. Staying focused has become a real challenge. Our brains crave quick hits of dopamine from scrolling and gaming, making moments of deep concentration feel almost impossible.
But here's the thing: focusing is a skill, not a fixed trait. With the right tools, you can potentially train yourself to lock in for a certain period and get stuff done. The question is: are these tools sustainable for focusing long term?
One creative tool that's been gaining popularity is "lock-in" games—apps designed to turn focus itself into something rewarding. They utilize that same dopamine hit you get from scrolling or gaming and use it to keep you motivated and engaged with your work.
Many follow a simple yet powerful strategy: the more you focus, the more you nurture something. You might grow a virtual tree, decorate a space, or care for a digital pet. The catch? Your creation only flourishes if you stay off distractions. The moment you leave the app or lose focus, your progress stops. Here are some examples of these types of games that are trending on the Apple Store:
Lock-in games are a clever way to gamify discipline. What can feel like a chore changes into something motivating and fun. I decided to write about these types of games is because they have become a staple in my friend’s lives— in particular the app, Focus Friend, by Hank Green.
In the game, you nurture a cute customizable bean friend. You select an amount of time you want to study and while you go work, your bean knits. At the end of the study time, you can trade the socks that your bean knits to get decorations for your room. The description of the app on the Apple Store shares important features like: