Robin’s Thoughts on Maintenance

In our discussion on “it’s easier to obtain than maintain”, Robin Dickinson left a comment with a wealth of practical wisdom on how to maintain well. Robin is the best I know at maintaining, so I listened carefully.

His quick list, in no particular order:

• Have a long-term plan (3–5 year horizon)
• Know what really pays the bills and stick to it
• Have a life outside of work
• Pace yourself
• Know when and what to automate and delegate
• Max-min key processes: design for maximum result for minimum effort
• Measure and track key business indicators
• Take full control of and responsibility for the numbers
• Understand WHY you are doing what you do
• Know how to achieve and stay diamond-focused on what really works

My takeaways: there is balance here. Robin splits his days between obtaining new and maintaining the old. And when it comes to maintenance, he maintains both the fun stuff and the essential, sometimes boring stuff.

The real winner is that he harnesses the power of a habit that has a strong focus.