I wake up at 5:00am each morning. Not to be first into the gym or to beat the sun over the horizon. I do this because my job requires it.

Fortunately, all this means is that my 9-to-5 is shifted forward by three and a half hours, leaving a whole lot of time on my side when I get home in the early afternoon.

But time is so very easy to waste.

And often having more of it free makes wasting it even easier.

It’s easy to switch on the tele and watch your favourite show (back-to-back for three hours straight). It’s effortless to grab your iPad and smash a session of your favourite game. It’s so easy to consume.

So at the start of the year I made a conscious decision to stop wasting this valuable time and take action. Take action doing things I’m passionate about. Tackling unfinished projects. Learning new skills. Writing this article. Creating.

The funny thing is, the tasks themselves weren’t difficult. Sure, they were challenging and at times frustrating, but they were achievable.

The hardest part was staying focused.

That’s when I realised that time isn't the issue when it comes to success, it’s focus. We all have 24 hours in a day. It’s up to you to use them wisely. To create or consume?

So it’s time to stop buying your favourite take-away and learn to make it yourself.

Stop playing that addictive iPad game and start to code.

Put down that book and pen your own.

Turn off the TV and switch on a camera.

Stop watching sport and start playing it.

Return that new furniture and restore something old.

We live in a world saturated by consumerism, so let’s make the choice to create.

I promise you’ll be surprised at how enjoyable and rewarding it can be.