In some embodiments, a client application at a computing device can receive a request to generate a digital focus area based on input criteria. In response to the request, the client application can search a local storage and/or a remote storage for content related to the input criteria to yield a content collection, the remote storage being associated with a user account registered at a content management system. The client application can generate a workspace for the digital focus area, the workspace containing selected content from the content collection. The client application can pin, to a desktop displayed on the computing device, an interface object associated with the digital focus area, the interface object providing access to the workspace. The client application can then monitor events associated with the input criteria, and update the digital focus area based on one or more of the events associated with the input criteria.