I get into wikipedia rabbit holes myself, all the time.  Sometimes they are productive, an other times, they are not.  What determines how productive following  interconnected links, for me, is how I organize my web browser.
First an foremost, I don’t use Safari or IE. Â I like Firefox for its customizability. Â I install a plugin called Tab Mix Plus. Â This allows me to open tabs on multiple lines; without the plugin, the tabs are hidden after one line. Â There are many more customization options too, such as conditional coloring, alternate contact menus, and tab protection as well. Â These are all very useful when trying keep track of many websites.