No matter what type of job you have, chances are that there are times when you take yourself or your job way too seriously. In the digital and social 
space, this is often our own Achilles heel as press clippings and blogs within the space help puff out our chests and inflate our own feelings of self-importance.
It is OK to nod your head and agree, because it happens to everyone (this author included). As I write this post, I am utterly exhausted and it’s not from pulling a 40+-hour week or even doing work-related activities. Instead I am fresh off an exhausting weekend to Story Land with my family and in-laws. While my wife and son slept on the ride back from New Hampshire, I had time to reflect on a lot of things, what’s important, what is not and what matters career-wise. Traveling back from a kids amusement park based on fairy tales only made it that much better. Here are some of the misperceptions that got some hard reality in my inner monologue.
It can’t wait
One of the worst habits that I have is doing work when I should be spending time with my family. This can be anything from responding to an email to stalking the company social accounts. Sure there are times when it is absolutely necessary, but that is in a low percentile. Putting the phone or computer down can be a good thing. It also leads me to…
I’m irreplaceable
While everyone in social would like to believe that their jobs are wrapped in Teflon, there is really nothing groundbreaking about them. Social media roles require the same qualities and practices that marketers, communicators and strategists have had for years. Sure the platforms are always changing and it is real-time, it is still just talking and marketing. Many folks can do this. As the space continues to grow, companies are going to look to hire younger and cheaper- you know to keep more in tune with the kids.
Trust no one
Sure I borrowed that one from the X-Files, but it holds true in our space. At times we only trust ourselves. I do and am working on getting over that hump. We all could get better on relying on coworkers and teammates more. I did while on vacation and am excited to see how they succeeded in my absence.
I need to be on my phone to keep up with trends
Raise your hand if you get anxiety when your phone is off or out of service. Trends can wait a day, week or two to keep up with. Being first is not always the best thing.
Social is something the C-Suite needs to be fluent in
While I think that the executives in a company need to be aware of what is going on in social media, I do not think that they all need to be living and breathing it each day. They are focused in boosting the profit of a company or organization and should focus on areas that make the most mullah. Unfortunately for us social talking heads, social is not there yet for most companies.
Those were some ponderings that I had on a quiet and scenic drive… what are some perceptions you think should also be busted?