If I can echo what people said about email batches.
In my last job with 50-150 emails a day I’d check at 10am (no earlier on this one .. let people get into work at 9am and fire something your way if they need to) and 2.30-3pm. Might spend 30-45mins on it, but it’s consistant workflow. Get them out the way, then go away and do something more productive until the afternoon batch.
Batching email checking stops you getting drawn into the trap of having real-time one-line too-fro-ing conversations with people checking mail on the smartphones on the train/toilet/while out and about. You’ll waste the whole day away. If a question you receive on email requires follow ups, pick up the phone.
Set your email client to only check/refresh every 2-3 hours if you can. stops you being tempted. If you’re in a rush for something in particular you can always press that button to get it to refresh earlier.
EDIT: I wouldn’t even bother telling people you do this, you’ll most likely have a phone too, so if they’re in a real rush it won’t take them long to learn for themselves that this is a better way of quick communication. Email is electronic letter writing. There’s better ways for near-instant communication
2ND EDIT: I actually started doing the above because my boss was using emails to me as a notepad for himself. I had to stop running all over the place for him, all the time. He soon learned, it may not be instant, but it’d still get done soon enough.
