I have been having trouble keeping up on my email lately. I do not like surprises by default, and I guess getting email is kind of like a surprise, either good or bad. I have got bad news in email in the past, like from my boss. I have also gone through periods of depression due to my relationship with my boss.

I don't like to check my email anymore, and this has got me in trouble, as email is partly used for my job. It's flexible, and I can work out of home. The thing is I've got kind of paranoid about email. Plus it is also a major distraction from doing my actual work, which is a field of research.

My question is, how can I change? What approach should I take to email? Thanks in advance.