I almost physically cringe when for example I see people searching for the super important cost estimation of a project and finding it as “/Documents/documents/docs/Old Stuff/work/New Folder (1)/Amy/work/migration/temp18/excel/team/DO NOT DELETE/e.xlsx”

I think I obtain a lot of the benefits of focus without quite being this extreme. I use a lot of virtual desktops. One virtual desktop per logical activity. For example as a student it would be one desktop per course I'm studying. As a software engineer, each git-repo that I touch gets its own virtual desktop (especially when one application involves many git repos). Each virtual desktop has its own editor process, terminal, and browser window for documentation and tabs related to that activity only. This means I can change my focus just by switching to another virtual desktop. And the tabs and editors and such on other desktops are not visible (they are not even in the panel) while I'm not working on them. So unlike you, I have lots of bystander applications, and each one is exactly where I left it. They just aren't visible until I switch to that activity. So I would argue that they don't distract me at all.

I also have things set up so that there is a keystroke that raises the editor on the current desktop to the top. Another for the browser and another for the terminal. When I switch to another desktop, the same keystroke raises a different editor process for that desktop, etc. So within a desktop, I switch between these apps using the same keystrokes regardless of which desktop I am on. And there is only one way to switch desktop. I can't switch to another desktop via choosing another application on another desktop, because the other applications that are not on the current desktop are completely invisible.

When I'm working on something with a Scala backend, an Elm frontend, and C/C++ embedded device, and when I need to go back and forth often between these sub-applications making related changes, I can't afford to close and reopen each one when I change the language/repo. I can change desktops very often this way. eg. Add a new field to the frontend. Immediately add it to the backend and the embedded also. But they are in different repos. etc. etc.

If I have one editor opening all three projects it is a nightmare to navigate between files. But one editor for each language and repo is the sweet spot for me. And it means my documentation for Elm is all in a separate browser window from my documentation for Scala (which is on another desktop) etc etc.

Sorry this was so long, but I think all the details add up to making it an efficient system.

Yes! I started a very similar process just this week.

Some of us have no choice but to multitask. I just learned about multiple desktops in Mac OS X and using something very similar to what you just described.

Each desktop gets its own browser window, emacs frame, Iterm window and a sticky. Sticky says what was the last thing I did and what is next. So context switching is easier.

I keep Outlook and Slack on a second monitor always visible. So far I am liking it. I am dreading the inevitable reboot.

I also wish Apple supported renaming the virtual desktops.

Same here. Tried a few times previously, but this time I took the time to set up proper keyboard shortcuts which made all the difference.

For windows, this project is a great way to get keyboard shortcuts for desktop switching: https://github.com/yalibian/i3-windows

I do the same thing. I think it's why I've ended up in a primarily terminal based environment. Tmux, Vim, and Zsh and a couple web browsers and I'm good to go. Very little clutter.

I also like to go through and clear house when I have several tabs open.

It's a very pleasant way to work.

I keep three windows - two on my main 4K monitor. A third on my glitchy old one. Each window must have one thing.

Often the old monitor has the TO DO list or a design so I'm reminded what I'm doing.

The main two windows usually have something like the following:

1. main file/documentation

2. main file/subclass data model

3. design file (e.g. DB schema)/requirements

4. tests/design file

5. main file/tests

Sometimes I do need a little more, so that's where the other monitors come in. But for the most part, one window one file helps.

> I don’t understand how people can have multiple windows of multiple browsers with multiple tabs open about things they aren’t working on while they work. The visual clutter overwhelms me quickly.

Well, multitasking was all the rage not so long ago. A lot of people got bombarded with blog posts and articles about it.

I feel the same. It’s just way too overwhelming.

Checkout Amna, it might be able to help (https://getamna.com).

It minimizes those browser windows away, and you can focus one thing at a time

I work similar to this.

I think you have inspired me to go full on with it.