Baker & McKenzie's Eduardo Leite, whose six-year term as chair of the firm ends this autumn, says he spent two thirds of his tenure travelling around the world. How do these globetrotting law firm chiefs manage?

Leite and four other international firm leaders acknowledge that so much travel is gruelling and unpredictable. But they say it's always worth it. "There is no substitute for personal connection and seeing things for yourself," says Hogan Lovells chair Stephen Immelt. "For me, viewing travel as a burden doesn't work, because it is such a critical part of my role."

The five are in agreement on three strategies for less stressful travel: pack light, don't cut airport arrival time too close, and keep in-flight drinking to a minimum. Below are a few other tips, pet hates and travel highlights from their careers of endless journeys.

Stephen Immelt, CEO, Hogan Lovells

How he packs: I hate to check in a bag and generally avoid that but there are trade-offs. If you are travelling for more than 10 days, a carry-on is a challenge unless you want to depend on hotel laundry service. Also, I like to work out when I am travelling, so that takes more space.

Favourite in-flight meal? If I am eating, I will have a glass of wine, but the secret to long trips for me is to sleep as much as I can, so that often means skipping dinner and going to sleep.

Other tips? Always have some good books and a few TV series on your iPad. Practice mindfulness: nothing you can say or do will change when the plane will leave, so take a deep breath and let it roll. Don't obsess over what time it is somewhere else; commit to the timezone where you are. Exercise whenever and however you can. On a recent trip to Sydney and Singapore, partners arranged bicycle outings that allowed me to see the cities and to get my blood circulating.

Eduardo Leite, chair, Baker & McKenzie

How he packs: The least possible, in case the luggage is lost: a suit, one tie, shirt and essentials in my carry-on to survive the first few days.

Favourite in-flight meal? The lightest possible, low in carbs (chicken in lieu of pasta) and no dessert or coffee. I avoid drinking and caffeine. It doesn't help to get over the jet lag.

Other tips? Exercise the day before the trip and upon arrival, even if just fast walking – it helps circulation and metabolism. Cold showers, cold drinks and ice cream help adjusting to the timezone. Melatonin, 3mg at night, and don't forget to wear the sleeping mask. Avoid Maotai (a distilled Chinese liquor) when in China. Finally, I adjust my clock and schedule to the time of destination right after departure. And one more tip: I invite my wife to travel with me as much as possible. Life up in the air can be very lonely.

Brad Malt, chair, Ropes & Gray

How he packs: You bring what you bring. You can get it cleaned. If you forget something, you buy it. Other than electronics, I don't worry about it too much. It doesn't always work out, though. One time two of us were going on a day trip to Beijing to take somebody out to dinner. Needless to say, pretty exhausting. We had to fly back through JFK. Then there was a short flight to Boston. We had to check our carry-ons because there was no bin space. It was pouring rain, our flight was cancelled and there were no more flights that day. We ended up having to drive back to Boston, which would have been bad enough, but it took three hours to retrieve the bags we had checked on the Boston flight!

Other tips? International flights are a fine time to catch up on some reading, send some emails. If the plane doesn't have wifi, download stuff you want to read on the trip. And try and sleep on overnight flights. You want to be productive the next day but also if you're traveling two thirds of the time, repeated lack of sleep is going to catch up with you sooner or later. And don't drink when traveling. Drinking out of a plastic cup sitting next to somebody you don't talk to is so not worth it.

Jami Wintz McKeon, chair, Morgan Lewis & Bockius

How she packs: I really hate to check a bag – it's not just that it might get lost, but also that there are some airports where the delay in baggage really throws off your schedule. I wear mostly dresses and skirts, and when I pack I go for the things that are lightest weight and wrinkle least. My secret tip is to use a plastic bag from the dry cleaner, lay my clothes on that and roll it up like a sleeping bag. That fits in a large purse that slides on top of my wheeled briefcase and I can fit at least one pair of shoes. When I arrive and unpack, the purse becomes a handbag that fits my laptop, iPad and other things I need.

Other tips? I used to pride myself on being the last one on the plane in the 'old' days but now, I try to make sure I don't cut it too close. With technology and electrical outlets, it is easy to work at the airport, so it is not giving up a lot to be on time. I look for flights that have wifi; it is really a lifesaver. I like the bulkhead; it is hard to work on the plane if someone is leaning back on you. I try for aisle seats so I can get things out of the briefcase easily. I try to reduce my time away from my family; I would rather get up at 4am and get an early morning flight than miss dinner the night before, and the latest flight back home to be there in the morning.

Barry Wolf, executive partner and chair, Weil Gotshal & Manges

How he packs: Never check in luggage. Two suits, three shirts, and make sure it's a hotel with a real overnight wash-and-iron service.

Other tips? When you land on an overnight flight, go for a workout as soon as you arrive at the hotel. If you have to stay a weekend, mail your casual clothes but make sure you take into account customs. Mail them home at the end of your stay.