When counting objects if they are distinct i make a mental image of them all, and move them around in it. Counting is done when I recognize clusters and sum them (batches of 4-5).

If objects are not distinct but movable I use two or three fingers to move them across to another place, also summing.

When objects can't move but are not distinct and too many I form a plan to iterate through them safely, and then usually count tens on my fingers, and ones in my head (i almost always roll back at some point: 47, 48, 49, 40).

When I'm not counting things it depends on the scale, but I try to rely on summing more than incrementing, because incrementing gets me bored very quickly, and if I'm bored I make mistakes.

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