SMany students Vbelieve that concentration is something they either have or lack.

However, Sresearchers who study attention often Vdescribe Oit as Ca skill that changes with the environment.

When a phone is visible on a desk, part of the mind may remain ready to react to it, even if no message arrives.

For this reason, removing a distraction can be more effective than repeatedly telling yourself to ignore it.

In other words, good concentration may depend less on willpower than on designing a situation in which fewer things compete for your attention.