I've just returned to the office from a week at home in bed with a fever and strep throat. Very unpleasant. By the end I was jumping off the walls from not being able to leave the house.

Was this a sign of burnout?

Well maybe not this time but the importance of staying healthy did become increasingly clear. Having an online network makes it easier to stay in touch from different locations, but the work still piles up.

According to Katrina Shields, of the American Civil Liberties Union:

"High stress levels and burnout are very common among activists - both paid and voluntary workers. High stress levels are, obviously, bad for individuals, for those close to them, and for the organisations in which they work. Turnover can become high, with loss of skilled and experienced people. Stressed people are not effective and can often create conflict and contribute to low morale. They also often act in ways which make it unattractive for new members to join the organisation. Cynicism, negativity and rigid thinking are side effects of chronic stress. Serious anguish and long term physical, emotional and motivational effects that are suffered privately are not unusual amongst activists who have worked for several years.

Taking care of the part of the environment over which we have the most control - that is, ourselves, is a vital part of effective activism. Putting some attention into stress management and physical, emotional and spiritual renewal is, to use Covey's analogy, "taking time to sharpen the saw"."

To read more about preventing burnout, I would recommend the following article:
Coping with caring --- the dangers of chronic stress and burnout by Kristin Duare McKinnon, MSW
July 6, 1998