Breathing Meditation- Counting

Sometimes, I find mentally counting the breaths enhances concentration. I would usually count more than five to ten the max. Upon reaching ten the counting starts over. But how long do we need to use this method? From my experience, just do it for five minutes should be enough or until mindfulness remains settled on the in-breaths and out-breaths as its object. For counting is simply a device for settling mindfulness on the in-breaths and out-breaths as object by cutting off the external dissipation of applied thoughts.

Hope this is useful for your meditation practice.

Cheers