How can you be hitting level lockouts? Unless you're switching classes in between quests, its impossible for you to be hitting locks.

Back when I started FF14:ARR, I started out in Ul'dah, and I didnt do the first mayor Storyline Quest until I did all the missions in Central and Western Thanalan, that story mission was 5 yet i was 12 before I started doing any story missions.

There's an abundance in quests, its not logical for you to be hitting locks any time soon unless, as I said before, are switching classes.