Most people think of maintenance as something you schedule. You plan it, you do the work, and then you move on. That model works for projects with a clear start and finish.
Websites don’t really behave that way.
A website changes a little every time content is added, a browser updates, or a new device shows up. None of those moments trigger a big maintenance event. They just happen quietly in the background.
That’s why the most reliable websites aren’t the ones that get the biggest updates. They’re the ones that get small, regular attention. Someone checking in. Reviewing what’s there. Making sure things still make sense.
When maintenance is treated like a project, it tends to get deferred. It waits for the “right time.” When it’s treated as a practice, it becomes part of the normal rhythm. Nothing dramatic. Just steady care.
This kind of maintenance doesn’t create headlines. It prevents them. Pages stay familiar. Updates stay easy. Problems stay small.
The goal isn’t to constantly change the website. It’s to make sure it never feels neglected.
That’s what it means for maintenance to be a practice.
