Full Energy Allocation Theory
Put the routine on autopilot so your energy is reserved for what actually matters.
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 3
- Confidence
- 78%
Cohen's Full Energy Allocation Theory says you should put certain parts of your life on autopilot so you have energy left for the things that really matter. Because energy is finite, spending it all in one hard-charging area — typically career — leaves nothing for personal priorities that are arguably more important. By systematising the routine, she ensures she's never too tired for her kids. The goal is a balanced, rich life that's fulfilling both professionally and personally, which she frames as itself a bold act of recognising and protecting your weak spots.
Origin
As a busy entrepreneur and mother of two, Cohen noticed how easy it is to go super hard in one area of life and forget the others. She developed the theory to guarantee she always has energy for her kids, whom she considers what matters most.
Core principles
- 01Energy is finite and must be deliberately allocated.
- 02Routine, low-value areas belong on autopilot.
- 03Reserve your best energy for what truly matters.
- 04A busy career makes it easy to lose sight of personal priorities.
- 05A rich life is rich both professionally and personally.
How to run it
- 1
Decide what really matters
Clarify the small number of areas — for Cohen, her kids — that you refuse to shortchange no matter how busy you get.
- 2
Put the rest on autopilot
Systematise, routinise, or delegate the lower-priority parts of life so they don't drain your finite energy.
- 3
Guard energy for the priorities
Deliberately allocate your reserved energy toward what matters so you're never 'too tired' for the things you claim to value most.
Pro tip Treat this triage itself as a bold move — it means recognising and defending the weak spots in your life.
Watch out A busy career makes it dangerously easy to keep saying 'I'll get to it some other time' about personal priorities.
In the wild
Cohen puts routine parts of her life on autopilot specifically so that, no matter how demanding her career gets, she always has energy allocated toward her children.
→ She maintains a balanced life where her kids reliably get her energy rather than her leftovers.
Common mistakes
Going all-in on one area of life
Pouring every ounce of energy into work leaves the personal, often more important, areas neglected and quietly collapsing.
Deferring what matters to 'some other time'
Busy people tell themselves they'll get to their personal priorities later, and later never comes until years have bled past.
Is it for you?
Best for
Busy professionals who feel they have nothing left for family or personal life after work.
Not ideal for
People whose lives are simple enough that no deliberate energy triage is needed.
From the transcript
“I talk about this full energy allocation theory that I have, and that is that put certain things on autopilot of your life, so then…”
“I'm never too tired for my [kids]. So no matter what, I'm gonna allocate energy towards them so I can have a balanced life.”
From the episode
Jennifer Cohen: Bigger, Better, Bolder. How to Get the Life You Want by Being Bold
Jennifer Cohen