Put it through a charge cycle once per month

Even if you only listen to your iPod when it's docked, once a month you should let it play overnight until the battery's drained, and then charge it up again the next day.

Take it out of its case before recharging

There's no fan in your iPod - its stainless steel back dissipates the heat - so insulating the back with a case blocks your iPod's ability to exchange heat with the outside air. Even though the hard disk isn't spinning during a recharge, your iPod could get uncomfortably hot inside - and batteries don't like heat.

Keep your iPod comfy

Though your iPod's operating temperature range is 32 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit (0 to 35 degrees Celsius), its battery is happiest at room temperature. Don't leave your iPod in direct sunlight or in your car parked in the sun. If it's left in the cold (the acceptable storage temperature range is -4 to 113 degrees F, -20 to 45 degrees C), let it come back to room temperature before waking it up - and if it won't wake from sleep even after it's warm, try resetting it (Apple's Support pages will tell you how to do this for your particular model).

Make sure you have the latest iPod software

Sometimes software updates include battery-management improvements, so keep that software updated by attaching your iPod to your Mac frequently.