While Amazon Flex is the best gig ever. Make no mistake, it’s hard work. Searching for addresses, hauling packages, driving long hours, traffic. All things that are pretty stressful for most people. Here’s a few tricks we’ve learned along the way to make things better.
One package at a time:
If you try to rush it and complete a block as fast as possible, you’re going to have a bad time. It’s far better to take the time needed to make sure the address is correct. Not rushing equals safer driving, less mistakes, and less stress.
Don’t worry about things you cannot control:
As Amazon Flex drivers there’s always the chance that we might get wrongly deactivated. Or accused of something we haven’t done. There’s no reason to add stress to the job. Do the best work you can and always strive to improve. Eliminate unnecessary stress.
Route planning:
This is a big one. Most drivers don’t plan their routes much. They’ll throw the packages in the car and hope for the best. Seasoned drivers eventually develop a method that works for them. Here’s one way to get started that works for me:
Plan the route based on zones:
Typically each rack at the Flex warehouse will come with a paper like the one above. The zones represent areas where you’ll be delivering. Usually it will start from the top to bottom. This is not always the case but it’s supposed to be. For this reason I recommend starting from the bottom of the sheet when loading your vehicle. That way the packages at the top (the first ones to be delivered) will me more accessible. Try your best to keep all the packages in each zone together in your car. Or at least pack them in a way that is logical.
Finish a zone. Cross it out. Take a break.
I’m telling you this helps a lot and can keep from getting overwhelmed. After you finish a zone, cross it out, and take a quick break. Before going back at it, make sure you know where the next zones packages are in your car.
Develop a system of your own:
As mentioned, each driver has their own system. It’s important to develop a system that works best for you. We can’t expect everything to always go perfect. Cut yourself (and Amazon) some slack.
With a good attitude, a desire to improve, and the development of the most efficient system you can prevent the burn out. Amazon Flex is a great gig, but it can be hard at times. If you divide the workload up into sections it can make it seem less stressful. Taking short breaks allows time to prepare for the next zone. In this fashion you’ll be flying through the blocks in no time.
Appreciate ya. Flex on!
