diff --git a/styles.css b/styles.css
index 5224e0a..3ff0d7e 100644
--- a/styles.css
+++ b/styles.css
@@ -53,6 +53,98 @@
 	background-color: var(--background-modifier-error-hover);
 }
 
+.taskweaver-active-timer {
+	background: linear-gradient(135deg, var(--background-secondary) 0%, var(--background-primary-alt) 100%);
+	border: 2px solid var(--interactive-accent);
+	border-radius: var(--radius-l);
+	padding: var(--size-4-4);
+	margin-bottom: var(--size-4-4);
+	box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
+}
+
+.taskweaver-active-timer-header {
+	text-align: center;
+	margin-bottom: var(--size-4-2);
+}
+
+.taskweaver-active-timer-label {
+	font-size: var(--font-ui-smaller);
+	text-transform: uppercase;
+	letter-spacing: 1px;
+	color: var(--text-muted);
+	font-weight: var(--font-semibold);
+}
+
+.taskweaver-active-timer-title {
+	text-align: center;
+	font-size: var(--font-ui-large);
+	font-weight: var(--font-semibold);
+	color: var(--text-normal);
+	margin-bottom: var(--size-4-3);
+}
+
+.taskweaver-active-timer-display {
+	text-align: center;
+	font-size: 48px;
+	font-family: var(--font-monospace);
+	font-weight: var(--font-bold);
+	color: var(--interactive-accent);
+	margin: var(--size-4-4) 0;
+	letter-spacing: 2px;
+}
+
+.taskweaver-active-timer-controls {
+	display: flex;
+	gap: var(--size-4-2);
+	justify-content: center;
+	margin-top: var(--size-4-3);
+}
+
+.taskweaver-timer-control-btn {
+	padding: var(--size-4-2) var(--size-4-4);
+	border: none;
+	border-radius: var(--radius-m);
+	cursor: pointer;
+	font-size: var(--font-ui-medium);
+	font-weight: var(--font-semibold);
+	transition: all 0.2s;
+	flex: 1;
+	max-width: 120px;
+}
+
+.taskweaver-timer-control-btn.pause {
+	background-color: var(--color-orange);
+	color: white;
+}
+
+.taskweaver-timer-control-btn.pause:hover {
+	background-color: var(--color-orange);
+	opacity: 0.8;
+	transform: translateY(-2px);
+}
+
+.taskweaver-timer-control-btn.stop {
+	background-color: var(--background-modifier-error);
+	color: white;
+}
+
+.taskweaver-timer-control-btn.stop:hover {
+	background-color: var(--background-modifier-error);
+	opacity: 0.8;
+	transform: translateY(-2px);
+}
+
+.taskweaver-timer-control-btn.complete {
+	background-color: var(--color-green);
+	color: white;
+}
+
+.taskweaver-timer-control-btn.complete:hover {
+	background-color: var(--color-green);
+	opacity: 0.8;
+	transform: translateY(-2px);
+}
+
 .taskweaver-category {
 	margin-bottom: var(--size-4-3);
 	background-color: var(--background-secondary);
@@ -123,32 +215,47 @@
 	gap: var(--size-4-1);
 }
 
-.taskweaver-timer {
+.taskweaver-task-running {
+	opacity: 0.6;
+	background-color: var(--background-primary-alt) !important;
+}
+
+.taskweaver-timer-small {
 	font-family: var(--font-monospace);
 	color: var(--text-muted);
 	font-size: var(--font-ui-smaller);
-	min-width: 70px;
+	min-width: 60px;
 	text-align: right;
 }
 
-.taskweaver-timer-btn,
+.taskweaver-start-btn {
+	background-color: var(--interactive-accent);
+	color: var(--text-on-accent);
+	border: none;
+	border-radius: var(--radius-s);
+	padding: var(--size-2-1) var(--size-4-2);
+	cursor: pointer;
+	font-size: var(--font-ui-small);
+	transition: all 0.2s;
+	font-weight: var(--font-semibold);
+}
+
+.taskweaver-start-btn:hover {
+	background-color: var(--interactive-accent-hover);
+	transform: translateY(-1px);
+}
+
 .taskweaver-delete-btn {
 	background: transparent;
 	border: 1px solid var(--background-modifier-border);
 	border-radius: var(--radius-s);
 	padding: var(--size-2-1) var(--size-2-3);
 	cursor: pointer;
-	font-size: var(--font-ui-small);
-	color: var(--text-normal);
+	font-size: var(--font-ui-smaller);
+	color: var(--text-muted);
 	transition: all 0.2s;
 }
 
-.taskweaver-timer-btn:hover {
-	background-color: var(--interactive-accent);
-	color: var(--text-on-accent);
-	border-color: var(--interactive-accent);
-}
-
 .taskweaver-delete-btn:hover {
 	background-color: var(--background-modifier-error);
 	color: var(--text-on-accent);
diff --git a/utils.ts b/utils.ts
index d7f6c1d..fc4c54e 100644
--- a/utils.ts
+++ b/utils.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { App, TFile } from "obsidian";
+import { App, TFile, Notice, moment } from "obsidian";
 import { Task, Category } from "./types";
 
 export function formatDuration(milliseconds: number): string {
@@ -20,32 +20,64 @@ export function generateUniqueId(): string {
 	return `${Date.now()}-${Math.random().toString(36).substr(2, 9)}`;
 }
 
-async function getDailyNote(app: App): Promise<TFile> {
+async function getDailyNote(app: App): Promise<TFile | null> {
 	const { vault } = app;
 
-	// @ts-ignore - Access internal daily notes API
+	// @ts-ignore - Access internal plugins
 	const dailyNotesPlugin = app.internalPlugins.plugins["daily-notes"];
 
 	if (!dailyNotesPlugin || !dailyNotesPlugin.enabled) {
-		throw new Error("Daily notes plugin is not enabled. Please enable it in Settings → Core plugins.");
+		new Notice("Daily notes plugin is not enabled. Please enable it in Settings → Core plugins.");
+		return null;
 	}
 
-	// @ts-ignore - Access daily notes interface
-	const { createDailyNote, getDailyNote, getAllDailyNotes } = app.internalPlugins.plugins["daily-notes"].instance;
+	// @ts-ignore - Access the daily notes instance
+	const dailyNotesInterface = dailyNotesPlugin.instance;
 
-	// @ts-ignore
-	const dailyNotes = getAllDailyNotes();
-	// @ts-ignore
-	const today = window.moment();
-	// @ts-ignore
-	let dailyNote = getDailyNote(today, dailyNotes);
+	if (!dailyNotesInterface) {
+		new Notice("Could not access daily notes interface");
+		return null;
+	}
 
-	if (!dailyNote) {
+	try {
 		// @ts-ignore
-		dailyNote = await createDailyNote(today);
-	}
+		const { format, folder, template } = dailyNotesInterface.options || {};
 
-	return dailyNote;
+		const dateFormat = format || "YYYY-MM-DD";
+		const dailyNotesFolder = folder || "";
+		const today = moment().format(dateFormat);
+
+		const fileName = `${today}.md`;
+		const filePath = dailyNotesFolder ? `${dailyNotesFolder}/${fileName}` : fileName;
+
+		let dailyNote = vault.getAbstractFileByPath(filePath);
+
+		if (!dailyNote || !(dailyNote instanceof TFile)) {
+			if (dailyNotesFolder && !vault.getAbstractFileByPath(dailyNotesFolder)) {
+				await vault.createFolder(dailyNotesFolder);
+			}
+
+			let initialContent = "";
+			if (template) {
+				const templateFile = vault.getAbstractFileByPath(template);
+				if (templateFile instanceof TFile) {
+					initialContent = await vault.read(templateFile);
+				}
+			}
+
+			dailyNote = await vault.create(filePath, initialContent);
+		}
+
+		if (dailyNote instanceof TFile) {
+			return dailyNote;
+		}
+
+		return null;
+	} catch (error) {
+		console.error("Error getting daily note:", error);
+		new Notice("Error accessing daily note: " + error.message);
+		return null;
+	}
 }
 
 export async function logTaskToDailyNote(
@@ -57,6 +89,11 @@ export async function logTaskToDailyNote(
 	try {
 		const dailyNote = await getDailyNote(app);
 
+		if (!dailyNote) {
+			new Notice("Could not find or create daily note");
+			return;
+		}
+
 		const duration = formatDuration(task.totalElapsed);
 		const logEntry = format
 			.replace("{{title}}", task.title)
@@ -67,8 +104,10 @@ export async function logTaskToDailyNote(
 		const content = await app.vault.read(dailyNote);
 		const newContent = content ? `${content}\n${logEntry}` : logEntry;
 		await app.vault.modify(dailyNote, newContent);
+
+		new Notice("Task logged to daily note");
 	} catch (error) {
 		console.error("Failed to log task to daily note:", error);
-		throw error;
+		new Notice("Failed to log task: " + error.message);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/view.ts b/view.ts
index 41d0699..4d282ad 100644
--- a/view.ts
+++ b/view.ts
@@ -63,6 +63,12 @@ export class TaskWeaverView extends ItemView {
 
 		const categoriesMap = new Map(this.plugin.settings.categories.map(c => [c.id, c]));
 
+		const activeTask = this.plugin.settings.tasks.find(t => t.startTime !== null);
+		if (activeTask) {
+			const category = categoriesMap.get(activeTask.categoryId);
+			this.renderActiveTimer(container, activeTask, category);
+		}
+
 		this.plugin.settings.categories.forEach(category => {
 			const categoryTasks = this.plugin.settings.tasks.filter(t => t.categoryId === category.id && !t.completed);
 
@@ -84,6 +90,55 @@ export class TaskWeaverView extends ItemView {
 		}
 	}
 
+	renderActiveTimer(container: HTMLElement, task: Task, category?: Category): void {
+		const timerSection = container.createDiv({ cls: "taskweaver-active-timer" });
+
+		if (category) {
+			timerSection.style.borderColor = category.color;
+		}
+
+		const timerHeader = timerSection.createDiv({ cls: "taskweaver-active-timer-header" });
+		timerHeader.createEl("span", { text: "Active Task", cls: "taskweaver-active-timer-label" });
+
+		const taskTitleDiv = timerSection.createDiv({ cls: "taskweaver-active-timer-title" });
+		if (category?.emoji) {
+			taskTitleDiv.createSpan({ text: `${category.emoji} `, cls: "taskweaver-emoji" });
+		}
+		taskTitleDiv.createSpan({ text: task.title });
+
+		const timerDisplay = timerSection.createDiv({
+			cls: "taskweaver-active-timer-display",
+			attr: { "data-task-id": task.id }
+		});
+		timerDisplay.setText(formatDuration(this.plugin.getTaskElapsed(task)));
+
+		const timerControls = timerSection.createDiv({ cls: "taskweaver-active-timer-controls" });
+
+		const pauseBtn = timerControls.createEl("button", {
+			text: "Pause",
+			cls: "taskweaver-timer-control-btn pause"
+		});
+		pauseBtn.onclick = async () => {
+			await this.plugin.toggleTaskTimer(task.id);
+		};
+
+		const stopBtn = timerControls.createEl("button", {
+			text: "Stop",
+			cls: "taskweaver-timer-control-btn stop"
+		});
+		stopBtn.onclick = async () => {
+			await this.plugin.toggleTaskTimer(task.id);
+		};
+
+		const completeBtn = timerControls.createEl("button", {
+			text: "Complete",
+			cls: "taskweaver-timer-control-btn complete"
+		});
+		completeBtn.onclick = async () => {
+			await this.plugin.toggleTaskComplete(task.id);
+		};
+	}
+
 	renderCategory(container: HTMLElement, category: Category, tasks: Task[]): void {
 		const categoryDiv = container.createDiv({ cls: "taskweaver-category" });
 
@@ -104,14 +159,11 @@ export class TaskWeaverView extends ItemView {
 	renderTask(container: HTMLElement, task: Task, category?: Category): void {
 		const taskDiv = container.createDiv({ cls: "taskweaver-task" });
 
-		const taskInfo = taskDiv.createDiv({ cls: "taskweaver-task-info" });
+		if (task.startTime) {
+			taskDiv.addClass("taskweaver-task-running");
+		}
 
-		const checkbox = taskInfo.createEl("input", { type: "checkbox" });
-		checkbox.checked = task.completed;
-		checkbox.addClass("taskweaver-checkbox");
-		checkbox.onclick = async () => {
-			await this.plugin.toggleTaskComplete(task.id);
-		};
+		const taskInfo = taskDiv.createDiv({ cls: "taskweaver-task-info" });
 
 		const taskTitle = taskInfo.createSpan({
 			text: task.title,
@@ -121,34 +173,54 @@ export class TaskWeaverView extends ItemView {
 		const taskControls = taskDiv.createDiv({ cls: "taskweaver-task-controls" });
 
 		const timerSpan = taskControls.createSpan({
-			cls: "taskweaver-timer",
+			cls: "taskweaver-timer-small",
 			attr: { "data-task-id": task.id }
 		});
 		timerSpan.setText(formatDuration(this.plugin.getTaskElapsed(task)));
 
 		if (!task.completed) {
-			const timerBtn = taskControls.createEl("button", {
-				text: task.startTime ? "⏸" : "▶",
-				cls: "taskweaver-timer-btn"
-			});
-			timerBtn.onclick = async () => {
-				await this.plugin.toggleTaskTimer(task.id);
-			};
+			if (!task.startTime) {
+				const startBtn = taskControls.createEl("button", {
+					text: "Start",
+					cls: "taskweaver-start-btn"
+				});
+				startBtn.onclick = async () => {
+					await this.plugin.toggleTaskTimer(task.id);
+				};
+			}
 
 			const deleteBtn = taskControls.createEl("button", {
-				text: "🗑",
+				text: "Delete",
 				cls: "taskweaver-delete-btn"
 			});
 			deleteBtn.onclick = async () => {
 				await this.plugin.deleteTask(task.id);
 			};
+		} else {
+			const checkbox = taskControls.createEl("input", { type: "checkbox" });
+			checkbox.checked = true;
+			checkbox.addClass("taskweaver-checkbox");
+			checkbox.onclick = async () => {
+				await this.plugin.toggleTaskComplete(task.id);
+			};
 		}
 	}
 
 	updateTimers(): void {
 		const container = this.containerEl.children[1] as HTMLElement;
-		const timerElements = container.querySelectorAll(".taskweaver-timer");
 
+		const activeTimerDisplay = container.querySelector(".taskweaver-active-timer-display");
+		if (activeTimerDisplay) {
+			const taskId = activeTimerDisplay.getAttribute("data-task-id");
+			if (taskId) {
+				const task = this.plugin.settings.tasks.find(t => t.id === taskId);
+				if (task) {
+					activeTimerDisplay.setText(formatDuration(this.plugin.getTaskElapsed(task)));
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
+		const timerElements = container.querySelectorAll(".taskweaver-timer-small");
 		timerElements.forEach((element) => {
 			const taskId = element.getAttribute("data-task-id");
 			if (taskId) {