you are thinking about playing and making time to play and changing your life so you can play. I don't see how this is avoidable for anyone
That's really not true for most people.

The only thought I give to WoW when I'm not playing it is that I read these forums (and my guild forums) and maybe email myself a URL when I see something here that I might want to look into more closely from home.

What you're talking about here is a clinical addiction, and I think you recognise that. It's good that you've stopped playing, and I really wouldn't start again if I were you.

FWIW, I see WoW completely differently to the way you do. For me, playing WoW is all about remove-the-brain, totally mindless entertainment.

It's just above watching the television in terms of importance in my life, and frequently falls below that if there's something particularly good on

There is nothing tangible to work towards, nor does there have to be so long as you have a healthy view of WoW as just a fun way to spend a few hours at a time when you have nothing better to do.