Is your job killing you?

Have you been affected by downsizing?
A. Yes. I got severance and a box for my stuff.
B. Yes, but it wasn’t my fat that got trimmed.
C. Nope. I thought size didn’t matter anyway.

Studies show that surviving a downsizing doubles the risk of cardiovascular death. “Often individuals who are left behind feel uncertainty and have double the workload,” says Pamela Holland, co-author of Help! Was That a Career Limiting Move? Meet with your boss to discuss where you fit in now and in the future.

Do you ever work the night shift?
A. Nope, I’m a nine-to-fiver.
B. Sometimes, if I have to.
C. I car pool with Dracula.

One new study reveals that working night shifts, even sporadically, ups risk of colorectal cancer by 35 per cent, possibly due to a decrease in melatonin production. Add a synthetic melatonin supplement to your diet: a Dutch study found that men taking 2.5 milligrams (mg) of melatonin one hour before bed lowered their blood pressure.

What do you think of your boss?
A. He’s not bad for “the man”.
B. I’m no brownnoser, but I can learn from him.
C. I keep a blackmail file handy.

Guys who respect their bosses have lower blood pressures than those who don’t, research shows. And the anger you’re storing could cause migraines. Instead of focusing on what a dickhead your boss is, think of one positive quality he has. Maybe good taste in ties? Seek out interaction so you can better understand him.

What’s the view like from your work area?
A. A nice look at the outside world.
B. Cubes, but I can see a window if I crane.
C. The average bat has it better than I do.

Workers who can see sunlight from their desks call in sick 23 per cent less than the cubicle-bound. Experts think that stale air and bacteria, along with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), keep boxed-in workers at home. The National Mental Health Association in the US recommends getting outside for just an hour a day.

Do you mix your work and personal lives?
A. A bit – it supplies me with good water-cooler gossip.
B. I don’t like my worlds colliding.
C. Yes, I often see colleagues on the weekend.

Work-time loners have ambulatory blood-pressure levels higher than those of their more social office mates. Scientists think men need social support in the workplace because they may not have similar friendships outside the office. Accept invitations that come your way: you’ll make friends and some key contacts.

Do you supervise anyone?
A. I’m self-employed, so it’s all on me.
B. Nope. I’m the dirt under the corporate ladder.
C. Yes, but I also answer to my boss.

Even though it might be stressful, research shows that men who call more shots have a 57 per cent lower risk of death from any cause than those who must follow orders. There’s more to climbing the career ladder than scoring keys to the bar.

How likely are you to sweat on the job?
A. Only when I’m called to the boss’s office.
B. I hire people to sweat for me.
C. I pretty much sweat for a living.

Men with high-paying white-collar jobs have a significantly increased risk of malignant melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer that can spread to the vital organs, compared with men who do low-paying blue-collar manual labour. Researchers are unsure of the reason, so regardless of where you work, schedule an annual full-body skin check.

What are you likely to handle at work?
A. Animals or vegetables (but no minerals).
B. Money, paper or a computer keyboard.
C. Anything broken or in a warehouse.

After analysing mortality rates, researchers found that some of the professions with the highest risk of suicide were repair services and wholesale and retail trades, with fatalities often four times higher than among people working in finance, insurance or real estate. Overall, farmers had a lower risk than anyone.

18 to 24 points
You’ll soon be a working stiff.

11 to 17 points
Hope you have a good insurance plan.

10 points or less
Work is good for you. Maybe you should be paying them?