On the right-hand bar attached to the note or email (may need to < expand it) You can toggle off “Notify me” and will stop receiving updates unless you are tagged again. 

Many in our office have the same frustration, is there a way to mute these as a default and if there are conversations we want to continue to stay involved in we can toggle the notification switch on?

This sounds like a great idea.  I don’t see where this is an option.  You can submit an idea in the Feature Ideas section of Karbon.  There is a top menu link for it.

I’ve created the product suggestion, for those interested you can support the idea here