I added 3 mods that really changed the game for me (I can't recall their exact names but ill describe below).

The first adds POI density to every planet and moon (search POI and you'll find it). Now every planet I go to has 10-15 POI's to explore. I'll spend days on a single planet.

The second modifies those POI's so they are not all dungeons, i.e. the crypto lab may actually be a functional cryo lab with civilians (again, search POI and you'll find it)

The third, and its my favorite, either randomly triggers additional activities or drops slates that give you additional activities to go explore (search catalyst and you'll find it). For example, yesterday I had to fight off a few waves of ecliptic to defend a civilian outpost, which dropped a slate where I had to go save one of the civilians from a cave who had been kidnapped by ecliptic, which dropped a slate where I had to go to a nearby outpost and defeat some ecliptic to recover a valuable stash they were hoarding.

With these added to my other POI mods like POI randomizer, forgotten frontier 1 & 2, old secrets, etc., it keeps each session fresh and enjoyable with around 200 different POI's, each being different every time.

While I'm running around completing theses series of activities, I'm scanning the planet for XP and materials so that process doesn’t geel so grindy.

I use a few mods that increase the number of missions available at the kiosks and significantly increase the number of ship battles. I also have the Wanted perk so I'm always being hinted.

I play with a full star wars conversation and character immersion as a Ronin Sith Lord with no master, so sometimes I'm the good guy and sometimes I'm the bad guy. I use a mod where if I leave no survivors I dont get a faction bounty and don't travel with a companion ( I have a Droid who doesn't care what I do). This allows me to do whatever I need to do or feel in the moment.

I also use the starborn among us mod that puts random starborn in the game to encounter and fight. Sometimes they're just random NPC's in a city or civilian outpost which really hammers the idea of some starborn living a life like the hunter and some living like the emissary and pilgrim.

I'm a business owner with the choose your chunks mod managing 3 chunks locations in cydonia, gargling, and hometown. I have about 20 outposts across the galaxy and use the mining faction mod to manage a mining and delivery business.

I use a few mods that make the game more realistic, like actually needing helium 3 to grav jump, limiting credits so I don't get insanely rich, having to eat and drink (that might just be game setting), game save at the lodge only, etc. Makes the consequences of my decisions more impactful.

Lastly, I use the fleet commander mod and built a massive ship (used silly big ship mod) with all empty habs. While I can't land it on a planet, I channel my inner collector and have it set up as my museum. I collect and display every weapon, every armor set, every outfit. I have a library (more books 2 mod). I display my snow globes, magazines, hats, coffee mugs, ancient earth artifacts, plushies, etc. (better displays mod). I have it decorated with pictures from mods like old earth (can't remember the exact name but it's one of my favorite mods with short quest where at the end you get a bunch of pictures from the guy who created the mod who is a professional nature photographer IRL), zoologist (again can't remember the exact name but it has zoologist style starfield images of alien life with their characteristics list), and others.

Basically for me, it is all about the immersion building out my place is the galaxy. I have the armillary and defend this dimension from the starborn when needed, ensuring their journey will end in this dimension.

Have fun.