Living at a 6/10: My Chronic Pain Daily Routine for Remote Work Survival
This morning I woke up at a 7/10. My body begged me to stay in bed. But I’ve learned something in 25 years with psoriatic arthritis: if I don’t move now, I’ll pay double by noon. So I stretched, whispered “slower is smarter,” and started anyway.
I don’t chase pain-free days anymore. I design my days around the reality of chronic pain. This isn’t about hacks or miracle cures. It’s about adaptability — mental and physical — every single day.
Because when pain is unpredictable, your routine can’t be rigid. It has to flex with you. This is the chronic pain daily routine I’ve built to survive remote work and life at a constant 6/10.
Why I Needed a Chronic Pain Daily Routine
At 15, a routine cyst removal spiraled into a five-month nightmare. I went from an AAA hockey player with NHL dreams to someone who struggled to walk. Psoriatic arthritis stole my body, my identity, and my momentum.
In my 20s, I masked the pain with humor while working construction and painting houses. Movement helped, until it didn’t. By my late 20s, I was gripping the arms of office chairs in meetings, smiling on the outside while pain lit my ribs on fire inside.
Remote work changed everything. At home, I could stretch between calls, cycle when I needed movement, and rest without shame. But I learned quickly that without a structure, the days collapsed into pain and guilt.
That’s why I built this daily routine for chronic pain: not for perfection, but for survival.
Mornings With Chronic Pain: Movement Before Mind
My alarm isn’t my enemy. Stagnation is.
Some mornings I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck. Others, I feel okay-ish. Either way, I don’t negotiate with pain, I start.
If I wake up around a 4/10:
- Gentle bed stretches (3–5 minutes)
- Light floor mobility: cat-cows, hip openers, hamstring reaches
- Stationary bike (10–15 minutes) with a podcast
If I wake up closer to a 7/10:
- No bike. I breathe: 4 in, 6 out, for 5 rounds
- Seated stretches only
- Warm lemon water
- Stillness as medicine
No matter the number, I always do something. Because stillness by default leads to stiffness by noon.
My Remote Work Energy Map (How I Budget Pain + Productivity)
Remote work saved me. But living at a 6/10 means I don’t measure days by hours worked, I measure them by energy wisely spent.
Here’s how I budget my workday:
8:30–10:00 AM — Deep Work
Headphones on, Slack off, phone silent. This is my best focus window.
10:00–10:30 AM — Break
Stretch, hydrate, short walk. No screens unless it’s a podcast.
10:30–12:00 PM — Collaboration/Secondary Tasks
Meetings allowed. Team work or light admin.
12:00–1:00 PM — Lunch & Reset
If pain is low, I’ll add a light chore. If high, I rest completely.
1:00–2:30 PM — Strategy/Creative Work
If flaring, I shift to voice notes or admin tasks instead.
2:30–3:00 PM — Break
Movement + hydration. A mental reset.
3:00–4:30 PM — Review & Plan
Wrap tasks, plan tomorrow, clear mental clutter.
This isn’t about productivity, it’s about protecting my capacity.
Mental Anchors That Keep Me Steady
Pain erodes more than the body. It eats at identity. Here’s how I keep my mind from spiraling:
- When I’m unsure: “If this stays a 6, I’ll do X. If it climbs to 8, I’ll scale to Y.”
- When guilt creeps in: “I’m not lazy. I’m adjusting to reality faster than most people can comprehend.”
- On flare days: “Slower is smarter.” “Protect the engine, not just the output.”
These are small scripts, but they hold me steady when the pain storms hit.
Evenings: Resetting for Tomorrow’s Pain
Evenings aren’t collapse zones they’re recovery investments.
Universal Non-Negotiables:
- 15 minutes of stretching
- Heat therapy: bath, sauna, or eucalyptus steam
- Digital wind-down: screens off by 9 PM
On Flare Days:
- Legs up the wall + deep breathing
- Candlelight + silence
- Sometimes I cry. Sometimes I just breathe. No demands, only relief.
Weekly Systems That Keep Me Grounded
These aren’t fitness goals. They’re friction reducers.
- Cardio (3x/week): Stationary bike, 20–30 minutes
- Strength (2x/week): Bands + bodyweight, low reps
- Baths (3–5x/week): Epsom salts or sauna/steam
- Massage (Monthly): Booked in advance
- Ibuprofen only at 9/10: Pain is data. I listen first
Adapt them to your life. No bike? Walk. No bath? Heat pack and foam roller.
The Gear That Keeps Me Functional (Non-Negotiables)
These aren’t luxuries. They’re lifelines.
- My Bed: Without it, I wake feeling like I’ve been in a car crash.
- Stationary Bike: The first tool that proved movement still helps.
- Orthotics: The difference between walking a block or not.
- Standing Desk + Ergonomic Chair: Let me shift positions without punishment.
(Want the full breakdown of what I use daily? → 10 Items That Made Remote Work Bearable With Chronic Pain)
What Living at a 6/10 Really Taught Me
Most people wait for motivation. I move first. Some days I move well. Some days I crawl.
Living at a 6/10 taught me survival isn’t about waiting for pain-free days. It’s about building a life inside the pain.
That’s what I share here. Not perfection. Not pity. Just proof you can keep moving forward even when your body begs you not to.
Suggested Reads
- If pain stole your sense of self: When Chronic Illness Took My Body, It Took My Identity Too
- If you want to reshape how you think, not just how you move: Rewiring My Chronic Pain Mindset: The Shift That Gave Me My Life Back
