Ever get tired of getting emails from colleagues where you spend minutes trying to read between the lines if there's a specific action needed from you? I know I get frustrated with the confusion and anxiety this creates, so I've decided that I will not do the same to others.

What's my trick to being clear? I always rename subject lines when replying to emails.

I rename emails especially when there is some kind of new action or change in action that is requested. It took me a little time to get used to the boldness of doing it when I first started practicing renaming other people's subject lines, but I've never gotten flack for it.

Whenever possible, I do this:

* Tag the beginning of the subject line with a reference to the project or broad subject under consideration (e.g. "email")

* Append the tag immediately with the next action that you are requesting to be undertaken (e.g. "rename the subject line to reflect the new action")

As a result of aggressively renaming subject lines, you will make it easy for your recipient to quickly determine what action to take and guard your message from being lost in the sea incoming messages. The other benefit is that you can quickly scan subject lines of an old email thread to find that critical decision point without a moment's hesitation.

Clarity built right there into that incoming email header - imagine that!