A plastically deformable element of a microelectromechanical device is strained so as to improve the lifetime of the microelectromechanical device. The element of the device can be strained by deforming the element into a deformed state and holding the element at the deformed state for a particular time period so as to acquire an amount of plastic deformation. The operation states of the device are calibrated according to the states before straining and the acquired plastic deformation. After then, the device is operated in the calibrated states.