Zuhd entails minimizing one's dependency and attachment to this Dunya and it's pleasures as much as possible and increasingly focussing on aakhirah. It's about removing the love of dunya from one's heart even while we use the Dunya for our human needs.
How to achieve it:
-Reading the chapters of kitab al zuhd in the hadith books.
-Reading the Quran, the Seerah and lives of Sahaba and previous great scholars and awliya of the Ummah.
-Majalis of the pious scholars.
-Visiting the graveyards and the sick regularly.
-contemplating on death and events of aakhirah.
-Avoiding the company of the rich and dunya lovers.
-Sitting with the poor and serving them.
-Increasing giving sadaqa and nafl fasting.
-Avoiding ghaflah and all that leads to it.
-Adopting a minimalist lifestyle.
Ofcourse it's not easy. But Jannah is not cheap.
Steps and levels of Zuhd:
First and most basic zuhd which is fardh on all Muslims is leaving all Haraam.
Second leaving all Makruh things.
Third level is minimizing one's involvement in even jaiz and halaal acts and focusing more on Aamaal for aakhirah (within the guidance of sunnah).
Some Benefits of Zuhd:
Abu Dharr narrated that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "If anyone observes abstinence in this world (from worldly possessions and position that are in excess of his needs) then Allah grows in his heart wisdom, causes his tongue to speak it, makes him see the defects of this world (like grief, poverty, death, etc), its maladies and their remedy, and brings him out of it safely to dar-us-salaam (the abode of peace)."
-(Bayhaqi in Shu' ab ul eeman # 10532,
Mishkaat 5199)
May Allah give us all tawfeeq.
