diff --git a/etc/config b/etc/config
index 5b751d00..f08dac99 100644
--- a/etc/config
+++ b/etc/config
@@ -104,29 +104,43 @@ bindsym Mod1+Shift+minus move scratchpad
 # If there are multiple scratchpad windows, this command cycles through them.
 bindsym Mod1+minus scratchpad show
 
+# Define names for default workspaces for which we configure key bindings later on.
+# We use variables to avoid repeating the names in multiple places.
+set $ws1 "1"
+set $ws2 "2"
+set $ws3 "3"
+set $ws4 "4"
+set $ws5 "5"
+set $ws6 "6"
+set $ws7 "7"
+set $ws8 "8"
+set $ws9 "9"
+set $ws10 "10"
+
+
 # switch to workspace
-bindsym Mod1+1 workspace 1
-bindsym Mod1+2 workspace 2
-bindsym Mod1+3 workspace 3
-bindsym Mod1+4 workspace 4
-bindsym Mod1+5 workspace 5
-bindsym Mod1+6 workspace 6
-bindsym Mod1+7 workspace 7
-bindsym Mod1+8 workspace 8
-bindsym Mod1+9 workspace 9
-bindsym Mod1+0 workspace 10
+bindsym Mod1+1 workspace $ws1
+bindsym Mod1+2 workspace $ws2
+bindsym Mod1+3 workspace $ws3
+bindsym Mod1+4 workspace $ws4
+bindsym Mod1+5 workspace $ws5
+bindsym Mod1+6 workspace $ws6
+bindsym Mod1+7 workspace $ws7
+bindsym Mod1+8 workspace $ws8
+bindsym Mod1+9 workspace $ws9
+bindsym Mod1+0 workspace $ws10
 
 # move focused container to workspace
-bindsym Mod1+Shift+1 move container to workspace 1
-bindsym Mod1+Shift+2 move container to workspace 2
-bindsym Mod1+Shift+3 move container to workspace 3
-bindsym Mod1+Shift+4 move container to workspace 4
-bindsym Mod1+Shift+5 move container to workspace 5
-bindsym Mod1+Shift+6 move container to workspace 6
-bindsym Mod1+Shift+7 move container to workspace 7
-bindsym Mod1+Shift+8 move container to workspace 8
-bindsym Mod1+Shift+9 move container to workspace 9
-bindsym Mod1+Shift+0 move container to workspace 10
+bindsym Mod1+Shift+1 move container to workspace $ws1
+bindsym Mod1+Shift+2 move container to workspace $ws2
+bindsym Mod1+Shift+3 move container to workspace $ws3
+bindsym Mod1+Shift+4 move container to workspace $ws4
+bindsym Mod1+Shift+5 move container to workspace $ws5
+bindsym Mod1+Shift+6 move container to workspace $ws6
+bindsym Mod1+Shift+7 move container to workspace $ws7
+bindsym Mod1+Shift+8 move container to workspace $ws8
+bindsym Mod1+Shift+9 move container to workspace $ws9
+bindsym Mod1+Shift+0 move container to workspace $ws10
 
 # reload the configuration file
 bindsym Mod1+Shift+c reload
diff --git a/etc/config.keycodes b/etc/config.keycodes
index c07462b4..a22f1617 100644
--- a/etc/config.keycodes
+++ b/etc/config.keycodes
@@ -91,29 +91,42 @@ bindcode $mod+38 focus parent
 # focus the child container
 #bindsym $mod+d focus child
 
+# Define names for default workspaces for which we configure key bindings later on.
+# We use variables to avoid repeating the names in multiple places.
+set $ws1 "1"
+set $ws2 "2"
+set $ws3 "3"
+set $ws4 "4"
+set $ws5 "5"
+set $ws6 "6"
+set $ws7 "7"
+set $ws8 "8"
+set $ws9 "9"
+set $ws10 "10"
+
 # switch to workspace
-bindcode $mod+10 workspace 1
-bindcode $mod+11 workspace 2
-bindcode $mod+12 workspace 3
-bindcode $mod+13 workspace 4
-bindcode $mod+14 workspace 5
-bindcode $mod+15 workspace 6
-bindcode $mod+16 workspace 7
-bindcode $mod+17 workspace 8
-bindcode $mod+18 workspace 9
-bindcode $mod+19 workspace 10
+bindcode $mod+10 workspace $ws1
+bindcode $mod+11 workspace $ws2
+bindcode $mod+12 workspace $ws3
+bindcode $mod+13 workspace $ws4
+bindcode $mod+14 workspace $ws5
+bindcode $mod+15 workspace $ws6
+bindcode $mod+16 workspace $ws7
+bindcode $mod+17 workspace $ws8
+bindcode $mod+18 workspace $ws9
+bindcode $mod+19 workspace $ws10
 
 # move focused container to workspace
-bindcode $mod+Shift+10 move container to workspace 1
-bindcode $mod+Shift+11 move container to workspace 2
-bindcode $mod+Shift+12 move container to workspace 3
-bindcode $mod+Shift+13 move container to workspace 4
-bindcode $mod+Shift+14 move container to workspace 5
-bindcode $mod+Shift+15 move container to workspace 6
-bindcode $mod+Shift+16 move container to workspace 7
-bindcode $mod+Shift+17 move container to workspace 8
-bindcode $mod+Shift+18 move container to workspace 9
-bindcode $mod+Shift+19 move container to workspace 10
+bindcode $mod+Shift+10 move container to workspace $ws1
+bindcode $mod+Shift+11 move container to workspace $ws2
+bindcode $mod+Shift+12 move container to workspace $ws3
+bindcode $mod+Shift+13 move container to workspace $ws4
+bindcode $mod+Shift+14 move container to workspace $ws5
+bindcode $mod+Shift+15 move container to workspace $ws6
+bindcode $mod+Shift+16 move container to workspace $ws7
+bindcode $mod+Shift+17 move container to workspace $ws8
+bindcode $mod+Shift+18 move container to workspace $ws9
+bindcode $mod+Shift+19 move container to workspace $ws10
 
 # reload the configuration file
 bindcode $mod+Shift+54 reload