So I've been wondering lately which approach works better in daily life: that super strict Apollonian style or the loosey-goosey Dionysian one. Honestly got curious cause my own routine felt completely screwed up. Thought I'd test both ways for a full week each and scribble down what actually happened.
Starting With The Apollonian Week
Monday morning I went all in on rules. Woke up at 5:30 AM sharp like some damn robot. Pulled out this stupid detailed spreadsheet I made the night before - every hour planned down to bathroom breaks. Blocked time for work, meals, even "leisure reading" like a psycho.
Pros noticed right away:
- Finished my overdue tax docs by Wednesday (finally!)
- Actually stuck to that 30-min daily workout
- Place stayed neat for once
But holy hell the cons hit harder:
- Cramped up physically from sitting rigidly all day
- Missed my kid's soccer game cause it wasn't "scheduled"
- Friday night felt like a mental prison riot
Then Came Dionysian Week
Total 180° flip. Smashed my alarm clock metaphorically. Slept whenever, ate takeout at 3am wearing pajama pants. Chased random ideas - painted my garage door purple on a whim Tuesday afternoon. Kinda glorified chaos.
Pros were fun while they lasted:
- Crazy burst of creative writing at midnight
- Spontaneously visited Mom and made her cry
- Zero stress about deadlines (cause who cares)
Cons rolled in like a dumpster fire:
- Forgot bill payments and got fees
- My boss called 7 times by Wednesday
- Slept through dentist appointment (RIP deposit)
So what'd I learn? Pure Apollonian just choked me. Pure Dionysian wrecked my responsibilities. Now I'm testing this Frankenstein hybrid - strict with crucial stuff like bills and kid stuff, chaotic pockets for art and snacks. Still messy as hell but damn does it beat living like either extreme. Jury's still out though.
