The Internet Black Hole

Paperback Writer (PBW) shares her strategy for controlling her time online, using the humble kitchen timer. Some more tech-y alternatives I've found include "Cool Timer" and "MP3 Pizza Timer" (no url), which are very simple timers that let you choose the sound file for the alarm, pop up when the time's up, and sit in the tray in the meantime. Also TimeLeft, which has more features, including sitting in a little window on top of your other windows, and skins.

In the comments for the same post, Carter says "Nothing controls Internet time like a dial-up connection and a single phone line." I concur. It may be an outside control, but it's a good one.