Right-click on it and select "Disable Status Messages". Or, if you just want to get rid of that status message but want to keep the rest, go to the Preferences tab and press the Status Messages button. Uncheck the box next to the "Countdown in progress" message. You might have to create a new Status Message Set if you've never changed them before. Just press New, give them a new, then uncheck the box. Make sure your new set is selected when you press the OK button to close the dialog.