Here's a simple experiment.
The next time you daven, try removing your phone from your immediate environment.
Not forever.
Not even for the entire day.
Just for one davening.
Before you begin, put your phone somewhere you won't see it.
Then pay attention to what happens.
Notice what your mind does
You may discover something interesting.
At first, you may actually think about the phone more.
You might wonder whether someone is trying to reach you.
You might instinctively want to check it.
That's okay.
You're noticing a habit.
After a few minutes, you may find that the thought becomes less important.
You begin paying attention to something else.
The words.
The people around you.
The room.
Your own thoughts.
What changes when the phone isn't available?
There's an important psychological difference between:
"I shouldn't check my phone."
and
"My phone isn't available to check."
The first requires constant self-control.
The second removes some of the decision-making altogether.
That's one reason physical boundaries can be useful.
Instead of repeatedly telling yourself not to look, you create an environment where looking isn't the default.
Try it for one davening
You don't need to buy anything to try this.
Put your phone somewhere out of sight.
Turn off notifications.
Leave it in another room if that's practical.
Or put it away somewhere secure.
Then daven.
Afterward, ask yourself one question:
Was it easier to stay present?
Maybe the answer will be no.
Maybe you'll discover that your mind wanders for completely different reasons.
That's useful information too.
Kavanah isn't something we achieve perfectly.
It's something we keep returning to.
And sometimes the first step is simply removing one distraction.