TMUX is a thing. People should really be using it for this type of workflow considering you can set up environments that don't necessarily have to be running all the time for other projects. This seems far more like a self-inflicted problem than anything.
It is a thing, but I find that having separate desktops ("spaces" in OSX terminology) for different tasks helps me context switch back to the task quicker. I keep different desktops for different tasks, each with their own terminal running. Each terminal may have several tabs opens. When it's time to switch to that task, I switch to that desktop. When that task is completely done, I just close everything and remove the desktop.
Keeping this all in my head - even remembering how many shells I had open to do what - takes more thinking and effort than I want it to. It is far easier for me to just say, "This is where all the stuff for X goes" and physically isolate it from everything for Y and Z. And when I go back to it, it's all where I left it. I find this a much easier workflow.
That sounds a lot like my workflow actually.
You can still actually use tmux with it, with one session per workflow ('^b $' can name the session from inside it).
I found it useful, especially with Clojure and vim.
The splits are nice everywhere, and it's way better to be in the habit of opening a tmux/screen when sshing.
That workflow is also why I hate OSX updates that force a reboot, which piles all the terminal and Chrome windows in one desktop. And then it's just an update for RAW camera files or something that I don't care about, but it nags me every day. /rant
I still use screen remotely. This workflow is for the Mac in front of me. A lot of the terminals I have locally are associated with a screen session remotely. But keeping the local sessions open, active and logically grouped helps me remember what I was doing, and need to do.
