The Impact of Stress on the Productivity of Research Assistants in Eastern Mediterranean University

The idea of stress has always been an important subject studied by various researchers, given the fact that stress can influence the well-being as well as the health of individuals. Researchers are not exceptions, as most are loaded with responsibilities that take time, effort and concentration to execute optimally. Moreover, the work load can compromise their productivity; affecting their abilities to obtain good results. The aim of this study is to identify stressors responsible for stress in research assistants. Most often, the stressors that are synonymous to this line of work include high working load, organizational constraints, relationship, environmental conditions, finance etc. This leads to anxiety, frustration and anger. This thesis considers these variables’ impact on the productivity of research assistants in Eastern Mediterranean University. The results of the study showed that stress had a negative impact on the productivity of the researchers. This underlines that stress, if not carefully checked within an establishment, can have an adverse effect on the productivity of researchers. Keywords: Productivity, Stress, Eustress, Distress, Research Assistants.