One way of coping with pain is what they call distraction, or focusing your mind on a particular activity. This has been recognised for a long time as a way of reducing pain. The activity can be something as simple as an interesting programme on the TV or a good book, or it may be a hobby or going for a walk. As long as the mind is fully occupied, and the pain is not overwhelming, pain fades into the background.
So don't feel guilty about indulging yourself more in what you enjoy. It's good for you, reducing the pain and helping you cope. Of course, you need to make sure that you're not going to make the pain worse afterwards, such as by sitting too long absorbed in a good movie. It is important to make yourself comfortable first, and maybe to use a timer to remind you to change position or stop.
On the other hand, pain may be worse when you can't distract yourself with something interesting. All those boring or unpleasant tasks that you have to force yourself to do under normal circumstances become twice as difficult if you're in chronic pain. You not only have the boredom of the task getting you down, but the boredom allows your pain to become the centre of your attention. Setting yourself small, manageable targets can help here.
Updated 2003-01-05