Do trust your ability to manage your obsessions?

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Whether it be "I got to finish that video game" or "I have to watch the end of the ball game" or "I have to finish the chapter of my favorite book" when you need to study for that upcoming exam or prepare for work the next day: the thought process is, "I might as well just do it, I'll just obsess over it while I'm getting work done, do a half-assed job, and feel stressed because I'm getting pulled in two directions".

I am learning this is not a sustainable habit or pattern of thinking for being successful, and it's largely a matter of simply believing that you can get stuff done while temptation is lurking. Aside from simply saying "I can do it" and it just happens, what has helped you with this?

I try to limit myself by making rules e.g. one hour of work = one hour of my obsession. It doesn't always work because I get carried away with my obsession and lose all sense of time. And of course all I'm thinking about while I'm working is how much longer until I can 'play'.
Maybe setting a timer would help.

It's the same for me. And I end up not doing the work for college etc because I get carried away on my obssessions. And the more things I need to do the more anxious I get.
I think I have my obssessions under control exactly because I am perfectly aware that when I get carried away I screw up everything. And because I am greatly aware that time is limited and I am going to die and I don't want to look back and realize I spent all my time on the computer doing research.
It's difficult sometimes to control it but what I do is: if I get carried away one day, at night I get desperate and regret it and the next day I try not to start it. Each day is a new day. I think it works. I can't do the hour limit thing because I can barely stop once I have started, so I force myself not to start it. Of course there are days (usually fridays) when all I want to do is my hobbie/do research on special topic. But then, I decided to do it on my day off so it's different than simply having no control

I had that really bad till I started taking Neurontin/Gabapentin for OCD & I can manage things OK now.

Sometimes i have problems with this too.
But what i try to do is, for example, if i want to play a game on a day that i need to study is mark a time to play first (a small session, just to end part of the anxiety) and when the time to study comes i force myself to stop, go for it and go back to play after i finish. Most of the times it works.

Sometimes..... yet all I need is to be reminded to shut up and think of something else.

No

I was like that when I was younger. I've learned the hard way that it doesn't work that way.

Yes, I find it very difficult.
Medication has helped, in addition to set routines.
However, if I do not follow my routines properly, I get engaged in obsessions and ignore everything else. I do not notice if I am hungry and often forget to eat.
Due to being obsessive, I am often either very reserved or very verbose.
I am receiving some help in managing obsessive thinking and behaviour.

This is why am up at 12 at night singing and posting on wp