Keeping Track of Time

I'm terrible at keeping track of time.  I want to have a nice mix of projects at work and home, but I'll get so caught up in something that I run out of time for my other priorities.  I've been experimenting with different mechanical and electronic gadgets to deal with this.  Here are some of the things that have been helping:

• Free software:  "TimeLeft".   This free software puts a semi-transparent timer on my computer screen.  I like the fact that I don't even need to look away from my Excel sheet or my e-mail to see the time clicking away.  This is really nice because when I'm REALLY caught up in something, I might not look at a stopwatch that is just 2 inches from my computer.

• Mechanical timer "Joseph-Joseph".  I like the way this timer gives me visual feedback of how much time is left.  I use it at home, but it makes too much noise when it rings to use it in my cubicle at work.  I got an extra one on sale and tried to take it apart to disable the ringing mechanism, but this mechanical engineer met his match.  All kinds of little parts fell out and I couldn't put Humpty Dumpty back together again.

• iPhone apps
• I think I like these the best.  My favorite so far is "30/30".  Like the "Joseph-Joseph" timer, it gives me visual feedback of how much of the "pie" has been consumed.  Unlike Joseph-Joseph, I can keep the thing from ringing loudly and annoying all my neighbors