Outlook 2007
Customize Outlook to start with the Calendar open
1. Click Tools and select Options.
2. Select the Other tab.
3. Under General, click the Advanced Options button.
4. At the top, under General Settings, click the Browse button for Startup in this folder.
5. Select the folder that you want Outlook to show when it launches.
Change frequency that Outlook picks up emails:
Go to File > Options > Advanced
Scroll down to 'Send and receive' and click on the 'Send/Receive..." button. You can schedule your automatic send/receive time there.
You can also double click on the email account and tell it to not pick up emails for that account at all, only to send.