Baby boot camp

A woman on the Choice Mom discussion board wrote with a common issue: dealing with the exhaustion of single parenting a newborn. Women have been responding with wonderful insight and tips, which will be featured on an upcoming "Choosing Single Motherhood" radio show. But here's the query that precipitated the advice. Please respond to it here as well.

Hi ladies. My little one is now 1 week and 5 days old. I know the newborn weeks are tough, but I am struggling. She is the most precious baby ever, but she is wearing me out! During the day I feel like I don't know what to do with her. I end up holding her most of the day which I am afraid is making her sore and I know is keeping me from doing anything. The last few nights she has refused to sleep for more than 15 minutes at a time and by about 3 am I am usually in tears thinking I may have gotten in over my head.

So, my questions for you guys are:
How do you function during the day with a baby?
What do you do with them when you need to take a shower or make lunch? I have tried to get her to sleep so she can nap while I shower, but she doesn't want to sleep. If I get her to sleep she wakes up when I put her down.
Also, when they are awake during the day, what do you do with them? I feel like I should be entertaining her somehow but I end up just holding her and staring at her.
Lastly, breastfeeding is getting hard too. My nipples are so sore. I have been working with great lactation consultants and she seems to be latching well, but I am still in so much pain for the first few minutes she nurses. Will this go away soon? If so, when?
Also, after nursing her at night she is awake and I spend the next hour or so rocking her back to sleep. By the time she is close to sleep its time to feed her again!!

I have to go back to work in 6 weeks and I am very worried. I can't possibly work all day and be up all night - I will literally never sleep! I am enamored of her and love her more than anything. Everyone keeps saying it will get better and I believe them, but when? In a matter of weeks or months?