How can I embed a timer in my presentation?

Illustration of a person interacting with an oversized alarm clock

My two cents

If you are conducting a workshop, you might need to use a timer to manage your presentation and exercises. Here are a few ways to do this:

Use YouTube Timers

One way to do this is to search, for example on Youtube, "timer 10 minutes". You'll find many videos that show a countdown from 10 minutes, some with music or sound effects. Obviously, adapt the search to the length of the timer you need.

You can easily embed these videos in Google Slides, Keynote, or PowerPoint, so you don't need to switch programs.

Use the Big Timer app

A screenshot of the Big Timer app in action

Another option is to use a timer app that runs in your browser, such as Big Timer. This type of timer is great for workshops and looks professional, but it cannot be embedded in a presentation software. You would need to switch from your presentation to the website to use it. However, the timer has some additional features, such as showing the time running out visually and the ability to add or remove a few minutes if needed quickly.

Use a physical timer

You can also use physical timers that don't need to be present in the presentation but are visible to everyone. A well-known product is Time Timer, which is used by many people running Design Sprints.

Or use the Timeqube, which is a small cube that turns yellow once you have used half of the time and red at the last minute.

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