diff --git a/VoiceInk/Views/Metrics/MetricCard.swift b/VoiceInk/Views/Metrics/MetricCard.swift
index f6247cd..cae403f 100644
--- a/VoiceInk/Views/Metrics/MetricCard.swift
+++ b/VoiceInk/Views/Metrics/MetricCard.swift
@@ -3,15 +3,31 @@ import SwiftUI
 struct MetricCard: View {
     let title: String
     let value: String
+    let icon: String
+    let color: Color
     
     var body: some View {
-        VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 8) {
-            Text(title)
-                .font(.headline)
-                .foregroundColor(.secondary)
-            Text(value)
-                .font(.title)
-                .fontWeight(.bold)
+        VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 16) {
+            HStack(spacing: 12) {
+                // Icon
+                Image(systemName: icon)
+                    .font(.system(size: 24))
+                    .foregroundColor(color)
+                    .frame(width: 32, height: 32)
+                    .background(
+                        Circle()
+                            .fill(color.opacity(0.1))
+                    )
+                
+                VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 8) {
+                    Text(title)
+                        .font(.subheadline)
+                        .foregroundColor(.secondary)
+                    Text(value)
+                        .font(.system(size: 24, weight: .bold, design: .rounded))
+                        .foregroundColor(.primary)
+                }
+            }
         }
         .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, alignment: .leading)
         .padding()
diff --git a/VoiceInk/Views/Metrics/MetricsContent.swift b/VoiceInk/Views/Metrics/MetricsContent.swift
index cbef956..a9632bb 100644
--- a/VoiceInk/Views/Metrics/MetricsContent.swift
+++ b/VoiceInk/Views/Metrics/MetricsContent.swift
@@ -38,8 +38,30 @@ struct MetricsContent: View {
     
     private var metricsGrid: some View {
         LazyVGrid(columns: [GridItem(.flexible()), GridItem(.flexible())], spacing: 20) {
-            MetricCard(title: "Words Captured", value: "\(totalWordsTranscribed)")
-            MetricCard(title: "Voice-to-Text Sessions", value: "\(transcriptions.count)")
+            MetricCard(
+                title: "Words Captured",
+                value: "\(totalWordsTranscribed)",
+                icon: "text.word.spacing",
+                color: .blue
+            )
+            MetricCard(
+                title: "Voice-to-Text Sessions",
+                value: "\(transcriptions.count)",
+                icon: "mic.circle.fill",
+                color: .green
+            )
+            MetricCard(
+                title: "Average Words/Minute",
+                value: String(format: "%.1f", averageWordsPerMinute),
+                icon: "speedometer",
+                color: .orange
+            )
+            MetricCard(
+                title: "Words/Session",
+                value: String(format: "%.1f", averageWordsPerSession),
+                icon: "chart.bar.fill",
+                color: .purple
+            )
         }
     }
     
@@ -117,4 +139,15 @@ struct MetricsContent: View {
         
         return dailyData.reversed()
     }
+    
+    // Add computed properties for new metrics
+    private var averageWordsPerMinute: Double {
+        guard totalRecordedTime > 0 else { return 0 }
+        return Double(totalWordsTranscribed) / (totalRecordedTime / 60.0)
+    }
+    
+    private var averageWordsPerSession: Double {
+        guard !transcriptions.isEmpty else { return 0 }
+        return Double(totalWordsTranscribed) / Double(transcriptions.count)
+    }
 } 
diff --git a/VoiceInk/Views/Metrics/TimeEfficiencyView.swift b/VoiceInk/Views/Metrics/TimeEfficiencyView.swift
index c56d28b..a4fa3de 100644
--- a/VoiceInk/Views/Metrics/TimeEfficiencyView.swift
+++ b/VoiceInk/Views/Metrics/TimeEfficiencyView.swift
@@ -45,8 +45,9 @@ struct TimeEfficiencyView: View {
             bottomSection
         }
         .padding(.vertical, 24)
-        .background(backgroundDesign)
-        .overlay(borderOverlay)
+        .background(Color(.controlBackgroundColor))
+        .cornerRadius(10)
+        .shadow(radius: 2)
     }
     
     // MARK: - Subviews
@@ -154,34 +155,6 @@ struct TimeEfficiencyView: View {
             )
         }
     }
-
-    // Extension to allow hex color initialization
-   
-    // MARK: - Styling Views
-    
-    private var backgroundDesign: some View {
-        RoundedRectangle(cornerRadius: 12)
-            .fill(Color(nsColor: .controlBackgroundColor))
-    }
-    
-    private var borderOverlay: some View {
-        RoundedRectangle(cornerRadius: 12)
-            .stroke(
-                .linearGradient(
-                    colors: [
-                        Color(nsColor: .controlAccentColor).opacity(0.2),
-                        Color.clear,
-                        Color.clear,
-                        Color(nsColor: .controlAccentColor).opacity(0.1)
-                    ],
-                    startPoint: .topLeading,
-                    endPoint: .bottomTrailing
-                ),
-                lineWidth: 1
-            )
-    }
-    
-    
     
     private var efficiencyGradient: LinearGradient {
         LinearGradient(
diff --git a/VoiceInk/Views/MetricsView.swift b/VoiceInk/Views/MetricsView.swift
index 9cd2fce..93315be 100644
--- a/VoiceInk/Views/MetricsView.swift
+++ b/VoiceInk/Views/MetricsView.swift
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ struct MetricsView: View {
                 }
             }
         }
-        .background(Color(.windowBackgroundColor))
+        .background(Color(.controlBackgroundColor))
         .task {
             // Ensure the model context is ready
             hasLoadedData = true
diff --git a/VoiceInk/WhisperState.swift b/VoiceInk/WhisperState.swift
index 2bb7f0d..5c36da0 100644
--- a/VoiceInk/WhisperState.swift
+++ b/VoiceInk/WhisperState.swift
@@ -661,22 +661,31 @@ class WhisperState: NSObject, ObservableObject, AVAudioRecorderDelegate {
                 await toggleRecord()
             }
         } else {
-            // Start a parallel task for both UI and recording
+            // Serialize audio operations to prevent deadlocks
             Task {
-                // Play start sound first
-                SoundManager.shared.playStartSound()
-                
-                // Start audio engine immediately - this can happen in parallel
-                audioEngine.startAudioEngine()
-                
-                // Show UI (this is quick now that we removed animations)
-                await MainActor.run {
-                    showRecorderPanel() // Modified version that doesn't start audio engine
-                    isMiniRecorderVisible = true
+                do {
+                    // First start the audio engine
+                    await MainActor.run {
+                        audioEngine.startAudioEngine()
+                    }
+                    
+                    // Small delay to ensure audio system is ready
+                    try await Task.sleep(nanoseconds: 50_000_000) // 50ms
+                    
+                    // Now play the sound
+                    SoundManager.shared.playStartSound()
+                    
+                    // Show UI
+                    await MainActor.run {
+                        showRecorderPanel()
+                        isMiniRecorderVisible = true
+                    }
+                    
+                    // Finally start recording
+                    await toggleRecord()
+                } catch {
+                    logger.error("Error during recorder initialization: \(error)")
                 }
-                
-                // Start recording (this will happen in parallel with UI showing)
-                await toggleRecord()
             }
         }
     }