I'm a lucid dreamer! I've been using the hand technique but I love the clock idea too. The issue I have is the once I realise I'm in a dream I have very little time before I wake up because my brain seems to realise I know and is like ABORT MISSION!!
Any tips with helping this? Generally now if I realised its a dream I'm like 'okay we don't have much time, let's do some flying' :')
You have to pull yourself away from the abyss. Once you feel everything start crambling try to pull yourself away fron the force pulling you. Understand the feel and try to keep feeling that way.