Productivity tips for Spaces on Mac

June 23, 2017 · 2 mins read

How I use Spaces feature on Mac to improve my productivity.

If you’re on a Mac, there is a feature called Spaces that let you manage multiple-virtual desktops.

I will show you how I use this feature to stay organized and improve my productivity.

Virtual desktops

First, I create as desktops as I have worked domains, and I attribute them specific apps.

I’m a business owner and web developer, so I created 5 virtual desktops corresponding to my work domains:

  1. Everything (default)
  2. Management
  3. Design
  4. Music
  5. Dev
  6. Write

Spaces management

Everything

It’s the default desktop. It’s the desktop for everything that isn’t classified.
In this desktop, I use the Finder, the browser…

Dev

It’s my desktop for development work.
I attributed dev apps like Sublime Text, Sequel Pro, iTerm2, Transmit.

Music

That’s my desktop for music.
So, I attributed all my music apps: iTunes, Spotify and SoundCleo, a desktop application for SoundCloud.

Writing

A space to write without distraction.
I just attributed Notes and Marked 2 to this space. But because I use Markdown for almost everything I write, I move a Sublime Text window in this space when I want to write in Markdown, using Marked 2 to preview it.

Management

My desktop to manage my projects, tasks…
I attributed all my productivity apps like Todoist, Google Calendar, WMail, Slack

Wallpapers

To recognizes the fastest I can which desktop I’m on, I created specific wallpapers for each desktop.

Spaces wallpaper template

If you want the template, just give me your email address and subscribe to my newsletter…
No, just kidding 🙃

If you want to reproduce them, it’s very easy, and here’s how I made it:

  1. I used a black background (2560x1600, the screen resolution of my MacBook Pro Retina 13”)
  2. I wrote the text using Futura (medium) font, the font that escaped the Nazis and landed on the moon, in white color, 200pt size, and centered it.


This is my personal method to improve my productivity with Spaces. I hope you find this article interesting, and I hope you will try to adapt my methodology for your specifics needs.


Clément Barbaza
Business owner, consultant, developer and project manager.

Like what I do ? Hire Appstraction and we can work together.