I use GNOME Shell. I always open, full screen, the same applications on the
same workspace:
Emacs;
Icedove;
Liferea;
Abrowser
GNOME Terminal;
Something else (usually Atril).
By defining keyboard shortcuts to switch to each of those workspaces, the
navigation cannot be faster. Also, Alt+[key above Tab] allows to navigate
between the windows of a same application (typically between Icedove's main
window and another one where you write an email). The Activities Overview is
great to launch applications: press [System (Windows)]", the first letter(s)
of the application and [Enter]. I do not think there exists a more efficient
way to launch applications (well, beside defining and remembering a keyboard
shortcut or each of them).
