Here is a solution using a substitution, and instead of polynomial long division we end up using a reduction when integrating tangent functions. I don't claim it is easier. It is just (slightly) different.
Substitution
By the substitution $u=\arctan x$ the integral transforms into
$$
\int_0^{\pi/4}\tan^4u(1-\tan u)^4\,du.\tag{*}
$$
Reduction
Next, since $D\tan u=1+\tan^2u$ we find that for $n\geq 2$ (here, we should
interpret $\tan^0u$ as being equal to $1$)
$$
\begin{aligned}
\int \tan^{n}u\,du&=\int\tan^{n-2}u(1+\tan^2u)\,du-\int\tan^{n-2}u\,du\\
&=\frac{1}{n-1}\tan^{n-1}u-\int\tan^{n-2}u\,du.
\end{aligned}
$$
Applying this reduction several times on
$$
\tan^4u(1-\tan u)^4=\tan^8u-4\tan^7u+6\tan^6u-4\tan^5u+\tan^4u
$$
we end up finding that the integral $(*)$ equals
$$\Bigl[\frac{1}{7}\tan^7u-\frac{2}{3}\tan^6u+\tan^5u-\frac{4}{3}\tan^3u+4\tan u-4u\Bigr]_0^{\pi/4}=\frac{22}{7}-\pi.$$
Here, it could be funny to note that while reducing the odd powers of $\tan u$, we do not get any $\int\tan u\,du$, a term which would have given us logarithms in the answer.