Next time you get the urge to complain about how busy you are, think about Rachael Ray. At the moment, she has four shows running on the Food Network -- "30 Minute Meals;" "Rachael Ray’s Tasty Travels;" and two in late-night reruns, "$40 A Day" and "Inside Dish" -- plus a daily syndicated talk show called "Rachael Ray."

She also runs a magazine called Every Day with Rachael Ray; releases an average of two new cookbooks a year; and has various product lines, including knives, cookware and bedding.

Exhausted yet? Now imagine having to do all this with the whole world watching, and expecting a big ol' perky smile on your face every step of the way. Somehow, Rachael Ray manages to get it all done without ever letting you see her sweat.

Bankrate spoke to Ray in between tapings of her talk show, and can attest to the fact that even in the eye of the storm, her energy never wavers.

Bankrate: Your voice sounds hoarse.

Rachael Ray: We do three shows a day, and this is the third shoot day this week. I always sound like this come this time of the week.

Bankrate: Why have all your endeavors been so successful?

Rachael Ray: The travel shows are very accessible -- you see it when we get laughs. All the places we eat at are largely extremely affordable, by whatever budget you're trying to live by. In the magazine, we write about messes and successes both. And on the (cooking) shows, people see a lot of themselves -- certainly when you watch "30 Minute Meals." Anything I can do, anybody that's watching can do.

Bankrate: How are you able to do so much and produce so much output?

Rachael Ray: I have such a great staff. We're all the same kind of people, all that kind of "can do, little bit adventurous, nothing too tough" sort of people. Our motto is "take a bite out of life." So they know what they're doing when I can't be there.