I few weeks ago I heard a
podcast on just this topic (podcast #6). They called it the 'Weekend Luddite', and basicly it involves turning all of your electronic distractions off for the weekend and leaving them off. I do something similar, only I call it an 'Amish Break', but it's basicly the same thing. I don't turn the master breaker off or anything radical like that (I actually did that for a year, but didn't really have a plan so I couldn't really accomplish much), I just try to use as little hi-tech as possible. In your case, try to make a schedule where you do your work in the morning, then turn the computer off. You might want to put the TV on an appliance timer so you can't turn it on until 1900 (for example). Part of what makes this effective is to not think 'I can't watch TV or surf, this is so boring'. During your hi-tek downtime think of ways to make yourself as productive as possible. You could journal in a notebook, practice caligraphy (if you can't read your own handwriting), catch up on your reading, learn how to bake bread, etc. If you have to keep your computer burning for your work, turn the monitor off while you aren't actually using it. Perhap even throw a pillowcase over the unused 'glass eyes' that are staring you in the face. Humanity has survived for thousands of years without all of our hi-tech 'crutches', yet now it seems that we can't seem to do the simplest task without them. You might just want to try getting by for part of the day without even the radio on, and see what you can accomplish.