Virtual desktops: keep work and communication apart

What you can't see doesn't distract you. Virtual desktops tuck communication out of sight while keeping it two keystrokes away whenever you want it back. It's one of the most effective ways to hold onto your focus without having to close anything or turn off notifications.

A typical scenario

You're deep in an important task, but Slack, Teams, or email is blinking on the second monitor or in the background. Even if you tell yourself you won't look, your eyes wander over there occasionally, your train of thought breaks, and getting back to focused work takes longer than you'd expect — research puts the recovery time at around twenty minutes to return to full focus after each such interruption.

With one virtual desktop for communication and another for focused work, the communication apps simply disappear from view. You can't see them, they don't catch your eye, and yet they're only two keystrokes away whenever you need to check them.

How to do it

1. Press Win + Ctrl + D — this creates a new, empty virtual desktop.
2. Switch to the new desktop with Win + Ctrl + → and open the apps you want to work on without distraction.
3. Switch back to the desktop with your communication apps (Slack, Teams, email) with Win + Ctrl + ← whenever you want to check messages — say, once an hour, not continuously.
4. See an overview of all your open desktops and their windows with Win + Tab. You can then drag windows between desktops with the mouse right from this overview.
5. You can also name your desktops by clicking their name in the Win + Tab overview, which helps with orientation if you use more than two.

The best tools

• Windows' built-in virtual desktops — free, works instantly with no install, ideal for separating work contexts.
• Spaces on macOS — a similar built-in feature for Mac users, controlled with trackpad gestures or keyboard shortcuts.
• Notification-blocking apps (Focus Assist in Windows) — a complementary solution that also mutes pop-up alerts on your active desktop.
• Stage Manager (macOS) — more advanced window and context management for users who want even more control over what's visible and when.

What you get out of it

• Focus: communication apps physically disappear from view, removing the temptation to just glance at them.
• Time: roughly 10–15 minutes a day saved on the shortened return to focused work after each interruption — this adds up significantly across several interruptions a day.
• Control over when you communicate: you still check messages whenever you want — you just set the pace yourself instead of letting notifications set it for you.
• A clearer workspace: each desktop corresponds to one context (work, communication, maybe personal matters), so you don't get lost among your open windows.

Pro tip

Right-click an app in the Win + Tab overview → Show this window on all desktops — handy for a music player or another app you want at hand regardless of which desktop you're currently working on.