TominHawaii,
Firstly I would learn how to use filters within your email client to separate emails into business, personal and other. Are you the only person on the email or are you cc'd etc? Which are from Newsletters? Do you need to receive all the emails? Delete unsubscribe that which you don't need.
Many email clients have a preview pain. You could use that to preview. Read the subject line, that can be your preview.
Depending on your circumstances. Turn off your email client for several days. Then open it up. All to sort again and to review, what was actually important. Think about when you may have been on holiday...things still get done, people are still able to work.
You may be surprised at what you find. Most emails don't need a response straight away. I reply to my emails twice a day. 10am and 16hr. People haven't even noticed I've slowed down my email correspondence. Most emails are just fluff. If an email is that important and you don't reply immediately, people will walk over to you if you're in an office or phone you. When people ask why have you not replied to my email (which rarely happens). You were either in a meeting or working on something that required your full attention. People easily accept that.
Just so you know. In my day job. I could have 4 email clients open at any one time 2 work email accounts that I watch, 4 personal accounts and 2 IM clients all running. If things get busy I turn off what I'm not using at that time.
Happy Travels
A
