It is at times harder work than I'd ever imagined. It's the lack of time to myself that I hadn't appreciated. If you want to read any books or watch any films, do it now!
Interfering people are really annoying, and sleep deprivation is real.
However it is absolutely worth it. I wouldn't go back to life without DS for anything.
Having a baby is a new beginning. Life starts again. It gives even mundane things significance (you're not just going to the park - you're going to the park with your baby, for the first time. It's meaningful - or that's how it felt at the time anyway!).
There are practical things you can do to help make things easier. (Slings are amazing inventions for example!). I'd say the most important thing it to ask for help if it is tough. I was lucky in that I had a really easy baby - I hope you will too. A friend of mine had a colicky baby - he cried all the time. She really needed a rest, but felt like she couldn't ask! She thought it was her job to deal with him, even though she was struggling whereas as a friend I would have gladly come round and given her a break if she'd only said, as would our other friends. We talked about it much later, now her DS is a wonderfully happy little boy. None of her friends knew how tough it was back then because she didn't tell us. And because it isn't so hard for everyone. My baby was a happy wee soul and I found that first bit quite easy.
It's down to luck. If you're baby's easy, enjoy! If your baby is hard work for some reason, ask for help, and remember the mumsnet mantra "this too shall pass"!
The other thing that really helps is having more than one adult around. So if your DP can get a bit of extra time off work, get him to take it! DP was home a lot at first and it really helped. Or, if you have helpful friends, do invite them round to give you a hand. They can play with your baby for 10 minutes while you do that really important thing you've been trying to do all week.
Finally, a piece of advice from a friend really helped: she said "if you manage to achieve one thing a day you're doing really well". Babies take up a lot of time, and working out how to do simple stuff with a new baby throws up all sorts of logistics. Popping to the shop for some milk, for example. Do you need a carseat / nappy bag / sling? You've just dressed the baby, ready to go then they puke all over themselves and you too! start again. But now they're hungry. etc.
Or having a shower. What do you actually do with the baby while you shower?! (Once they're a bit older, the answer for me was in the bathroom with me, on one of those bouncy baby chair things.)
The best thing is to take it easy, and try not to do too much at first, just take small steps! Appreciate that you're going on a learning curve, and that you'll get the hang of it.
A bit of a ramble, but I hope it helps!
It is absolutely, unquestionably worth it, I promise :)