How to keep wanting to play the game without the new DLC?

I have waited for up to six months for many EP because that was the time it used to take them to get a 50% discount. The first month or so is the hardest because that is when they are new and everyone is talking about them. After that it gets easier again. I try to focus on other things in the game. This is often the time when I temporarily switch from playing live mode to building for a few gameplay sessions (two or three weeks) . It helps to shift the focus away from gameplay for a little while.