How to theme Google Messages threads to better distinguish a chat

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Just this morning, I sent the wrong response to what I thought was the right chat thread. It didn't get me in trouble, but it did cause the recipient to raise their eyebrows. I quickly explained, found the correct recipient, and sent the reply.

I can't tell you how many times this issue has happened to me over the years. Sometimes it happens when I'm groggy in the morning, and my brain isn't firing on all cylinders, and sometimes it happens when my brain is firing on every cylinder it's ever had, and my fingers struggle to keep up.

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Fortunately, I've found a way to alleviate this problem. The solution came via Google Messages themes.

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No matter how zoned out or zoned in I am, it is far easier to discern a glaring theme than a name or phone number. By clearly distinguishing one chat from another, I don't have to worry about embarrassing myself or sending sensitive information to the wrong person (which I've almost done before).