Detachment is a spiritual step, as talked about in our ancient texts. It is the cornerstone of Buddhist philosophy. Hindu spirituality talks of achieving an elevated state of being by detaching oneself from 'maya' - the worldly illusion which includes attachment to things and persons.
Detachment gives us perspective. Attachment colors our view and leads to biased decisions. Detachment leads to objectivity.
How do we achieve detachment? First, we need to be aware of it. Just see how we go about our attachments in our daily lives - do I worry about the well-being of a loved one, such as spouse or child? Do I chase money? Do I crave to get the latest phone, or car, or fashionable dress? Does it really matter if I am invited to the next social do, or not?
All these attachments pull me away from myself. I focus more on the things or persons I am attached to. It makes me forget and overlook my own inner being. I lose myself in the push and pull of 'maya' - the attractive, but really insignificant, things. These things give me temporary pleasure or relief. Once I am satiated by acquiring them, I once again seek out more of the same things. It is a never-ending pursuit.
Once I am aware of this useless behavior, I can begin to bring it under control. Next time I want something I should ask myself: "Do I really need it? Can I do without it?"
The less we have, the more time and energy we have for greater pursuits. Otherwise, our energies are wasted on impermanent things. The greater pursuits can be: learning something new (there are thousands of online courses), spending time with our family, indulging in some healthy activities such as going to the gym, or a walk, or practicing Yoga.
One of the best ways to get on to our path of detachment is Meditation, or Mindfulness. It is an age-old practice with huge benefits in the contemporary world.