Remember when goofing off at the office meant finding an inconspicuous seat in the conference room so you could zone out during meetings? It's not so simple anymore. Today's challenges are more complex, so a few innovative spirits have developed solutions for the modern, er, challenges, of the workplace. Thanks to the Internet, everyone can benefit from these creative ideas.

Tools for surviving the modern workplace include some that help circumvent network security, so employees can discreetly surf the Web during business hours. But we're not going there. Instead, we'll share some solutions to more prosaic annoyances at the office.

• Do your co-workers pilfer your lunch from the break room fridge? Wrap your sandwich in an anti-theft bag adorned with fake mold to keep hungry moochers at bay.
• Do nosy co-workers linger around your desk when you run down the hall? Maybe you need a lock it and leave it desk guard, so you don't have to pack everything up before you leave your cubical.
• Are you a "teetotaler?" Use a binder clip to keep the wet tea bag out of your face while you sip a cup of hot brew.

-- Leslie Stevens-Huffman