Most of the rheumatoid drugs will take a couple of months to kick in, but the doc should sort you out with pain killers / anti-inflammatories to tide you over in the mean time. Some will also give you a steroid injection, but dependent on how active the inflammation is, this will determine how long you get benefit. Mine lasted a week!!
You will find you take a while to get going in the morning and again if you sit down for any length of time, so learn to factor extra time into your routine and, if possible, get your employer to let you do a job that doesn't involve sitting all the time.
Keep moving; gentle exercise e.g. swimming, walking is good to keep muscles strong and take some of the burden off your joints.
Learn to pace yourself, pain tolerance is lowered when you are tired. I used it as an excuse to give up ironing for 6 months .
Ask for help from family and friends and ask your doc to refer you for physio and occupational therapy for things that will make your life easier (after getting stuck on the loo in the middle of the night as I couldn't get up off the low seat ).
Try to keep doing the things you enjoy, you are still you even if you have to find new ways of doing stuff.