diff --git a/zsh/general.zsh b/zsh/general.zsh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e2daeb6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zsh/general.zsh
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+# ===== helper functions
+
+# Return the name of the program which is called in the foreground with `fg`.
+# $1 is the name of the program (optional). If it's not 'fg' or 'fg *' it's
+# returned unchanged.
+zshrc_resolve_fg_to_resumed_job_name() {
+    # $REPLY is used by convention for scalars ($reply for arrays) to return
+    # values from functions. unset it here to prevent problems when REPLY is
+    # bound to an integer or similar. Thanks to Mikachu in #zsh on Freenode
+    # (2012-09-27 17:14 CEST) for this hint.
+    unset REPLY
+
+    # Replace fg with the resumed job name.
+    if [[ $1 == fg ]]; then
+        REPLY=${jobtexts[%+]}
+    elif [[ $1 == fg\ * ]]; then
+        REPLY=${jobtexts[${1#fg }]}
+    # Normal program, return as is.
+    else
+        REPLY=$1
+    fi
+}
+
+# ===== runtime display
+# necessary for $EPOCHSECONDS, the UNIX time.
+zmodload zsh/datetime
+
+typeset -a zshrc_longrun_data
+zshrc_longrun_data=()
+# Display runtime in seconds for long running programs (> 60 seconds) and send
+# a bell to notify me.
+zshrc_longrun_preexec() {
+    local program=$3
+
+    # Handle fg.
+    local REPLY
+    zshrc_resolve_fg_to_resumed_job_name $program
+    program=$REPLY
+
+    # No background process found.
+    if [[ -z $program ]]; then
+        return
+    fi
+
+    # Don't track the time for certain (possible) long running processes which
+    # need no automatic notification.
+    local ignore
+    for ignore in elinks man mutt vim ssh; do
+        case $program in
+            $ignore | $ignore\ *)
+                zshrc_longrun_data=()
+                return
+                ;;
+        esac
+    done
+
+    zshrc_longrun_data=($program $EPOCHSECONDS)
+}
+zshrc_longrun_precmd() {
+    # No previous timestamp available or disabled for this command, ignore.
+    if [[ -z $zshrc_longrun_data ]]; then
+        return
+    fi
+
+    local difference=$(( EPOCHSECONDS - zshrc_longrun_data[2] ))
+    if [[ $difference -gt 60 ]]; then
+        echo
+        echo -n "${fg[yellow]}"
+        echo -n "~> ${(V)zshrc_longrun_data[1]} took $difference seconds."
+        echo -n "${fg[default]}"
+        echo    "\a" # send bell
+    fi
+
+    # Clear status. Prevents displaying old status information when pressing
+    # enter with an empty command line.
+    zshrc_longrun_data=()
+}
+
+preexec_functions+=(zshrc_longrun_preexec)
+precmd_functions+=(zshrc_longrun_precmd)
diff --git a/zshrc b/zshrc
index b334108..8f23ba5 100644
--- a/zshrc
+++ b/zshrc
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # Loading keybindings first because activating Vi-bindings resets all keybinds.
 source ~/.zsh/keybindings.zsh
+source ~/.zsh/general.zsh
 source ~/.zsh/setopt.zsh
 source ~/.zsh/checks.zsh
 source ~/.zsh/colors.zsh