Counting back by seven
You count back from 100 in sevens — an exercise that occupies working memory and breaks the loop of thoughts.
Counting down by seven is a deliberately boring exercise: from three hundred you subtract seven at a time until you go below ten or make a mistake. When you make a mistake, you start again from the last correct number. Do not rush and do not use a calculator — the slowness is part of the effect. If seven is too easy, use thirteen; if it is too hard, use three. It is useful at night, because it needs no light, and in public, because nobody notices.
When to use it
With rumination, before sleep, and as panic rises, when body-based exercises are too demanding.
How it goes
- Start at 100 and subtract seven each time: 93, 86, 79 …
- When you make a mistake, don’t correct it — carry on from the last number you said.
- If it’s too easy, count back by seven from 300, out loud.
Why it works
Rumination and arithmetic compete for the same limited resource. When a task that demands attention takes it up, the loop of thoughts runs out of room. It doesn’t solve the cause — it is a reliable switch.
