Routine!
I'm a mom, but I'm also a teacher and have worked with kids of all ages and the one thing that has saved my sanity is ROUTINE. I don't mean "regiment" or "schedule", but developing a comfortable daily pattern that works for you and then adjusting as you need it. It accomplishes a few things 1.) Kids know what is coming next, which makes them feel good- especially toddlers 2.) It gives you time to do the things you need/want to do without feeling like other things are compromised and 3.) For the newly "tv free" it can take of the edge of "WhatamIgunnadonow?" As I said, it does not need to be perfect or regimented- just a daily "guideline", but it helps to get things moving and before you know it, the stress level is down 3 notches by just being comfortable with what comes next... make sure to incorporate the things you want too- baby will come along and you will find tricks to deal with it (like, I have a love of the coffee shop down the road. I LOVE a cup o'joe and the paper- well, a high chair, a steady stream of cheerios, a baby book, some super nice waitresses and I got myself 1/2 hour to talk to baby, sip my cofee and flip through the paper!) and add things baby likes- the park, reading, whatever an then expand! The sky is the limit!
When developing a routine, I usually start with the immovables- when does baby get tired? Hungry? Wake up? Wind down? Crankiest? Happiest? Etc. Build around that. Then I think.... what do I need to accomplish? Maybe an hour of housework somewhere, 1/2 hour of relaxation or exercise, a visit to friend... put that in where it fits. Then think about what you really WANT to do with your child... this is the time to add art, play, reading, all that good stuff. It also helps to have a class once in a while or a play group or something to break it up. So, a morning with a toddler might be- wake up, eat breakfast, change clothes and clean up- sing songs to maintain focus, 45 min of play, a walk though the neighborhood, little nap while mamma does laundry, get ready for lunch... and baby can help, or you can find ways of distraction. When you "fine tune" you will find all kinds of tricks that work and adjuct to what feels right. Time will fly by!
And annother recommendation is: Join some sort of super kid friendly place- a zoo, a children's museum, even the local Y. You pay for the year (most are not too expensive) and then days when you just can't take it and are out of alternatives, pack into the car and go there. Since you pay for the year, it doesn't matter if you only stay 1/2 hour and you can go every day or once a month or whatever... let them run, scream, play, tire themselves out! In the same vein, it's nice to have a "rainy day box". Stash some toys, art supplies or something fun and take it out in emergencies (not too often, because baby will get bored with it- it should be something "special" and only take out one at a time). New coloring books, make play-clay with flour, salt and water, sidewalk chalk, a new ball, whatever... just to have a back up for times when you need it.
Little ones sometimes need things that are more interesting than Mom- like a tub of water, or paints. A plain old rattle (or whatever) doesn't cut it for most toddlers anymore. If i wanted to a grab a toddler's attention away from the breast, or in this case, TV, one needs to work hard for the money, ah, payback. :LOL
: It felt like having 2 kids, 'No J, she can play with it however she wants'
Good luck. It is worth it. 
