counting to ten
Calming delay tactic
Counting to ten is a technique for managing anger or frustration—the idea being that pausing to count gives you time to calm down before reacting: When I feel myself getting heated, I count to ten.
The phrase often appears as advice: Just count to ten before you say something you'll regret.
- oneLowest positive integer
- twoNumber after one
- threeSum of one twice
- fourNumber after three
- fiveFour plus one
six · seven · eight · nine · ten · fingers · number sequence · patience · take a breath · calm · cool down · keep your cool · breathe · anger · lose your temper · timeout · numbers · kindergarten
- coping skillscoping skills, coping strategies, coping mechanisms, emotional regulation, self-control
- self-control techniquesmeditation, deep breathing, mindfulness, delay tactics, postponement
- self-controlself-control, restraint, willpower, composure, moderation
- emotional regulationdeep breathing, meditation, mindfulness, acceptance, pause
- suppressionrepression, inhibition, restraint, silencing, muzzling
- composurecalm, calmness, composure, composed, poise
counting to tenflying off the handle
Losing composure suddenly
losing one's temper · blowing up · snapping · lashing out · exploding
counting to tenimmediate reaction
Undelayed response to stimulus
knee-jerk response · snap judgment · shooting from the hip · gut reaction
counting to tenescalating
Increasing by degrees
fighting back · retaliating · rising to the bait · taking the bait · doubling down
count, counting, counted, counts, counter, counters, countable, uncountable, recount