This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by koshirok096

Introduction

A Digital Sabbatical refers to intentionally stepping away from the digital whirlpool of work, social media, news, and constant notifications for several hours or even a few days. It doesn’t mean abandoning your computer or smartphone entirely. Rather, it is about creating temporary moments of disconnection to refresh your mind and recover from information fatigue.

The term Outernet is not a commonly used word. In this article, however, I define it as

“the physical world where experiences and bodily senses take priority over data.”

If the Internet is an “information ocean” flowing through radio waves and fiber-optic cables, then the Outernet is the “ground-level world” we perceive with our senses: the weight of the air, footsteps on a sidewalk, the depth of a landscape. It is a domain where personal rhythm, not algorithms, sets the pace.

Digital Sabbatical: A Temporary Retreat from the Information Ocean

Without realizing it, we are constantly chased by notifications, social feeds, messages, and algorithm-driven content. A Digital Sabbatical is a small mechanism that helps you create a brief distance from this nonstop connectivity.

Examples include:

• Turning off notifications
• Setting aside time when you do not touch your phone
• Taking a walk without digital devices
• Closing all screens before going to bed

Even a short moment of disconnection can significantly restore focus and lift your mood.

Stepping away from the digital stream helps your thoughts regain their shape.

Outernet: The Place You Reach After Disconnecting

Beyond the Digital Sabbatical lies what I call the Outernet. Here, unlike the Internet’s data-centric environment, the emphasis shifts toward real-world experiences.

For example:

• The sound of the wind
• The rhythm of walking
• A pen scratching across paper
• The smell of coffee
• Small, accidental discoveries in daily life

These are the forms of “real-world thickness” that the Internet can never reproduce.

The Outernet is where you think and feel at your own pace.

By returning to this space, you can approach the digital world again with a healthier mindset.

Digital Sabbatical Outernet

If a Digital Sabbatical is the act of “cutting the engine” after swimming too long in the information ocean, then the Outernet is the “quiet beach” where you place your feet afterward.

In this sense, disconnection is the method, and the Outernet is the destination.

By moving back and forth between these two states, people can regain a healthier life rhythm.

In recent years, the idea of stepping away from digital life has become more common. However, many people stop at simply “switching off their devices” and never consider the recovery process that follows. A Digital Sabbatical is not just about stopping; its value includes how you spend the time that follows.

Conclusion

The reason I wrote this article today is that, while the word Internet is universally recognized, the term Outernet has no clear definition. I wondered how it might be defined if I were to reinterpret it myself. Although the topic is somewhat abstract, I hope that framing it alongside the idea of a Digital Sabbatical provides a useful perspective for rethinking the distance between our digital and physical worlds.

Thank you for reading.

This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by koshirok096