I'll be repeating stuff that's already been said when I say this, but here goes. You will need to set a couple hours at least to get anything done in all likelyhood. Secondly, the game is admittedly harsh on newcomers, seeing as most of the cool things in the game start at least in the 30's.

But on the plus side, the interactions with other people and satisfaction of a job well done when you do get your first job to level 75 is well worth it. And I have to admit things do get a bit easier after you get there.
I'd have to agree with Miriel, in that knowing other people in the game or getting into a good social linkshell is a big help. EoFF is where I got into my first, so if you do decide to start playing you could probably ask someone here. Luckily you don't need world passes anymore to choose your server.