When you envision your future, you see yourself as more than merely an employee. You hope to be a spouse, a parent, a volunteer, a traveler, and a social butterfly. Yes, your ideal life involves donning many hats. The trick is to find a career that will provide enough freedom for you to wear them.

There is good news. You do not have to resign yourself to a an endless sentence of nine-to-five days, trapped behind a desk, sporting only your “worker” hat. According to “Online Degrees That Could Prepare You to Pursue Flexible Careers,” a 2013 Flexjob study revealed that 78 percent of job seekers ranked flexibility as their number one deciding factor when choosing a career. Subsequently, there are a variety of career paths that can lead to a flexible work life with plenty of time to smell the roses and play Frisbee with your four-legged friend.

Accounting

Offering both stability and flexibility, a career in accounting will enable you to work within the field in a myriad of capacities. Whether you opt to be self-employed, work for a sole employer, offer your services on a freelance basis, or serve as a tax advisor online, your love of numbers and preference for working on your own will be satisfied.

More magazine’s “10 Great Careers for Women Who Want a Life” states that a career in accounting offers substantial entrepreneurial opportunities with 66% of the members of the American Institute of CPAs functioning as sole practitioners, and that most accountants earn an income of approximately $59,430 per year. Yes, a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting could be your ticket to greater freedom.

Health Care Career

You may not realize it, but a nursing career can also be highly flexible. With some nurses able to work “three-days-on and four-days-off” schedules, this equates to time for smelling dozens of roses and a whole whack of Frisbees.

If working from home appeals to you, you may opt to become a RN Nurse Coach or Nurse Health Advisor. These positions involve consulting with patients over the phone about their treatments and preventative health measures, and providing support for patient families.

Yes, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, your Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing or Associate’s Degree in Nursing could earn you a median annual income of $65,470–and a whole lot of spare time.

Education

As a kid, you likely found school hours to be anything but liberating, but compared to most occupations in the adult realm, the field of education boasts some of the “sweetest” hours around. If you crave Christmas Holidays, Spring Break, and summers off, teaching may be your dream gig. And if you are looking for something a tad more “part-time,” supply teaching is another option.

If telecommuting sounds like a dream come true, you may want to become a Curriculum Developer. As Forbes magazine’s “The 10 Best Jobs for Work and Family Balance” states, the median yearly income for this position is $59,900 and typically, the work is full-time and flexible when it comes to both hours and geographic location.

Another flexible career within the area of Education is working as an online tutor. With more and more courses being offered online, there is an increasing demand for online teachers and tutors. You may even wish to work in multiple capacities.

Embarking on a new career does not have to equate to bidding your freedom and fun time “farewell.” Thanks to telecommuting, job-sharing, self-employment, and part-time hours, you can hang out with family, play a round of golf, and volunteer at the soup kitchen. You can have it all.

Tell us about your flexible career and the path you took to secure it.