The Irritation: You have no privacy

The Fix: Too much eye contact is distracting, not to mention stressful, especially if you sit across from the boss. Get some privacy – or at least create the illusion of it – with peace lilies or snake plants (from £14.50 indoorplants.co.uk). They’ll clear the air, too: lab tests show that the plants help to filter toxins from plastic and paint, respectively.